A battling performance at the RSC ended in defeat for the Blues as Athlone Town came from two-goals behind to pick up all three points with a 4-2 win.
Gary Hunt named an unchanged side ahead of kick-off, after last week’s 1-0 win away to DLR Waves at the UCD Bowl.
The first chance of the game fell to the hosts, as Hannah Waesch’s long-range free-kick flew into the arms of Maeve Williams, just moments after the Blues looked for a penalty after Fiana Bradley looked to have been fouled by Natalie McNally.
The Blues opened the scoring through last week’s hero, as Meadhbh Doherty reacted quickest after Olivia Shannon’s initial effort was saved as Meadhbh found the top corner to break the deadlock.
The visitors looked to react quick after going behind, with Williams denying Scherrif from close range moments after the opening goal.
And just minutes later, the resolute defending proved crucial as we doubled our advantage on 26′ through Fiana Bradley. Anna Gornell, who was brought on in place of the injured Leah O’Donoghue, laid off to Fiana from 25 yards who found the bottom corner to give Gary Hunt’s side a 2-0 lead at the RSC.
Melissa O’Kane shot just over Williams’ crossbar on 23′ after picking up a misplaced pass, as the Blues defended strongly, only allowing the champions efforts from distance.
The game calmed down in the second-period of the first-half, as the Blues maintained their lead going into half-time.
Six minutes into the second-half, the visitors pulled one back through Dana Scheriff, as her low effort found the bottom corner for her ninth of the season.
Moments later, it was Scheriff again who was set to level the score, only to see her left-footed effort fire wide of Maeve Williams right-hand post.
On 64′, the visitors found the equaliser as Alexis Strickland was on hand at the back post to fire home from close range to level proceedings at the RSC.
The reigning champions showed their quality with 15 minutes remaining ass Noelle Murray’s defence splitting pass found Scheriff who found the Blues bottom corner to give them the lead for the first time in the game.
Gary Hunt emptied his bench for the final quarter of the game, with Keira Burke, Caoimhe Carley & Lauren Egbuloniu all coming on – with Lauren Egbuloniu making her first appearance for the Blues since suffering an ACL injury on the opening day of the 2025 season.
With just five minutes left in normal time, the Blues broke with pace from an Athlone corner, as Fiana Bradley saw her effort deflect narrowly wide of the Athlone goal as we pressed for an equaliser.
And as the Blues pressed for a late equaliser, it was the visitors who finished the scoring in the fourth minute of injury time as Alexis Strickland found her second to secure the points at the RSC.
Waterford FC: Williams (GK) (C); Conroy (76′ K. Burke), S. Dumevi, D. Burke, Doherty, Lawler (76′ Carley); O’Donoghue (26′ Gornell), Lenihan (9′ Egbuloniu), Walsh; Shannon (61′ Mahony), Bradley.
Athlone Town AFC: Maguire (GK), Shine, Brennan, McNally (86′ Ryan), Waesch (C), Scheriff, Murray (79′ Brown), Molloy, Mooney, Strickland, O’Kane.
Attendance: 152.
