Galway United Women secure 3rd place finish in 3-0 victory over Waterford
Galway United Women celebrating their victory over Waterford. Credit: Don Soules
By James Ffrench
Galway United’s Women’s team secured a 3-0 victory over Waterford in their final home game of the 2025 season last Saturday (4 October).
All goals for United came in the second half, as Emma Doherty bagged a brace while Amanda Smith sealed the victory late into stoppage time.
The result guarantees United a third-place finish, regardless of the result in their final clash of the season away to DLR Waves.
Phil Trill’s side won the reverse fixture 7-0 back in June, but they certainly didn’t have it all their own way in the opening half.
A tense first 45 saw very few clear chances created by either side, but hosts did finish the half the strongest as a late flurry of chances saw United be denied by the woodwork and have another cleared off the line.
Galway continued that momentum into the second half and opened the scoring two minutes after the restart.
A lofted cross by Amy Madden failed to be dealt with by the Waterford defence, leaving goalkeeper Maeve Williams out of position allowing Doherty to tap home into an empty net.
The 21-year-old doubled her tally for the day with 13 to go as she directed a wonderful cross from captain Therese Kinnevey beyond Williams to give her side some breathing space.
Kinnevey one again was the architect as she set up Smith to seal the victory in style.
The result makes it back-to-back third place finishes for United.
Speaking post-match, manager Phil Trill remains determined to break into the top two and keep improving.
“The next step for us is continuing to look up that table and continuing to climb that table year on year”, Trill said.
The side travel to Dublin 4 next to face ninth place DLR Waves, where a win would take them to a record high points finish in the modern era.
