3 v 0 
Wexford YthsVideo
Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2022 | 4:30 pm | FAI Women's Cup | 2022 |
Match Report
Gibson hat-trick secures famous final spot for Athlone
Athlone Town are through to this year's FAI Womens Cup final after a 3-0 victory over Wexford Youths in Lissywollen this evening.
Madison Gibson’s hattrick ensured the victory for Athlone. She netted just 2 minutes in, then again on the half hour and hour marks, knocking the holders out of this years’ competition.
The quick start came when Athlone won a corner in the 2nd minute. Gibson went to take it out right, playing it short instead to Kayleigh Shine just inside the box.
Shine returned the pass and Gibson cut inside, sending a beautiful curling effort into the far corner. An absolutely ideal start, whilst Wexford essentially chased the game from here on out.
The visitors applied pressure constantly, but struggled to make any sort of breakthrough or create any real chances. Athlone seemed perfectly happy to sit back and soak up the Wexford pressure and attempt to hit them on the counter.
It was from such a counter attack that Athlone and Gibson would get the second goal. An aimless ball forward was poorly dealt with by Nicola Sinnott, who sent a short ball back to Maeve Williams in goal.
Williams was in a situation where she should’ve stormed out to clear the ball, but instead took it at her feet. She was dispossessed by Gibson, who took her time and floated it over the Wexford defence rushing back to the goal line to make it 2-0.
Wexford looked as if they may have gotten something from this through Ciara Rossiter on the left-hand side. Twice before half time, she was played through down the left-hand side and on both occasions, drove to the byline.
Both efforts went awry, one flashing across the face of goal whilst the other was saved by Niamh Coombes handily. Youths found themselves with a mountain to climb in the second half.
The peak of the mountain became unreachable on the hour mark when Gibson got the hat-trick. Herself and Muireann Devaney nicked Youths of possession inside their own half, which allowed Gibson to run at the opposing defence.
The American worked it to the edge of the box and whilst falling off balance, lobbed Williams to make it 3-0. Wexford attempted long shots from here on out, but to no avail.
The win sends Athlone to their first cup final as a WNL side, where they will meet last year's runners up Shelbourne in Tallaght on November 6th. Given how they’ve played against the Reds this year, they’ll fancy their chances.
Timeline
| 17. Maddison Gibson | 2' | |
| 17. Maddison Gibson | 31' | |
| 38' | 16. Nicola Sinnott | |
| 46' | Meabh Russell Jess Lawler | |
| 46' | Michaela Lawrence Emma Walker | |
| 17. Maddison Gibson | 60' | |
| Maddison Gibson Kellie Brennan | 74' | |
| Emily Corbet Kate Slevin | 74' | |
| 75' | Edel Kennedy Ceola Bergin | |
| Gillian Keenan Kelsey Munroe | 88' | |
| Roisin Molloy Emma McGrath | 91' |
Past Meetings
|
(Round 12)
2 - 1LOI Women's Premier Division
Ferrycarrig Park Wexford Youths v Athlone Town |
|
(Round 1)
1 - 2LOI Women's Premier Division
Athlone Town Stadium Athlone Town v Wexford Youths |
|
(Series 22)
7 - 1LOI Women's Premier Division
Ferrycarrig Park Wexford Youths v Athlone Town |
|
(Quarter Final)
3 - 1FAI Women's Cup
Ferrycarrig Park Wexford Youths v Athlone Town |
|
(Series 13)
1 - 3LOI Women's Premier Division
Athlone Town Stadium Athlone Town v Wexford Youths |
|
(Series 4)
1 - 0LOI Women's Premier Division
Ferrycarrig Park Wexford Youths v Athlone Town |
|
(Series 2)
0 - 1LOI Women's Premier Division
Athlone Town Stadium Athlone Town v Wexford Youths |
Ground
| Athlone Town Stadium |
|---|
| Athlone Town Stadium, Old Rail Trail, Garrycastle, Athlone East Rural Electoral Division, The Municipal District of Athlone — Moate, County Westmeath, Leinster, N37 N1F2, Ireland |
Full time! Scenes of ecstasy from the Athlone bench, who will now play Shelebourne for the cup in Tallaght on November 6th!
Three minutes added on.
Becky Watkins has a long ranger dip just over. Wexford have been restricted to mostly long shots in this half.
Murphy tries one from long range. Flashes just wide.
Gibson ghosts by Sinnott and tries yet another, but Williams saves. Youths have struggled to contain her, as the scoreline suggests.
Chance! A Wexford ball into the box finds Kylie Murphy and she hits the bar! Simply nothing going their way.
Goal! Athlone can book their tickets for November 6th after Gibson gets the hattrick! Herself and Devaney work to dispossess Wexford in their own half, she then drives at the Youths defence and lobs the ball over Williams to make it 3-0!
Lawler nicks the ball from the Athlone defence and moves it across to Kylie Murphy, but she drags the shot wide.
Back underway.
Half time. Lot of work for the holders over the next 45.
Rossiter sends a long range free right into Coombes' arms. Athlone seem happy to see this one out to the half.
Kylie Murphy plays through Ciara Rossiter one the left and she again drives to the byline, but from a tight angle fires it right at Coombes. If there's any way back into it for the visitors, it may be down that left hand side.
Yellow card for Sinnott. Dispossessed by Gibson at midfield and intentionally takes her down.
Rossitter looks to pull a quick one back for Youths as she drives to the byline and fires a shot across the face of goal. Looks to have been going wide, but Keenan scrambles back and puts it out anyway for safe keeping.
Goal! 2-0 Athlone. Sinnott fails to deal with an awkward bouncing ball and sells Williams in goals short. She's dispossessed by Gibson, who takes her time and lofts it in! Athlone have their arrows firmly pointed at Tallaght now.
Scary moment for Athlone after a Hennessy pass out from the back is charged down by Ciara Rossiter. Her block only sends it straight to Coombes, so a sigh of relief for the hosts.
Bit of end to end action here. Firstly, Muireann Devaney executes two slide tackles on Becky Watkins in the corner to perfection, seconds apart from each other. Athlone then hit Gibson on the counter, but she's all alone and her effort is blocked by Sinnott. Entertaining game so far.
The hosts are targeting Wexford with balls over the top and crosses. Roisin Molloy attempts one from deep following a Shine ball to Keenan, but Maeve Williams is off her line to collect.
Athlone work it into the box and find Gibson, but she can't repeat the feat.
Athlone find Emily Corbet on the counter. She cuts inside Nicola Sinnott and tries a long ranger, but it's right into Williams arms.
Wexford have applied the pressure since going behind. Athlone seem prepared to soak it up.
Goal! Athlone have an early lead after Gibson plays a one-two from a corner with Kayleigh Shine and curls it into the top corner. Great goal!
We are underway.
Shels have won 1-0 at Tolka, so tonight's winners face them in Tallaght on November 6th. A Wexford win would mean a repeat of last years final.
The teams are now in.
Wexford are looking to progress to yet another cup final, whilst Athlone are looking for their first. The teams will know in a short while whether it's Shels or Bohs that await them.
Hello and welcome to finalwhistle.ie for live coverage of today's WFAI Cup semi final between Athlone Town and Wexford Youths, I'm Seán Comber and I'll be updating you throughout.