Ahead of kick-off, Gary Hunt made one change to his side from last weeks win over Glentoran in the All-Island Cup, as Leah O’Donoghue came into the starting XI in place of the injured Anna Gornell.
Fiana Bradley tested the hands of Bonnie McKiernan in the Sligo goal inside the opening 60 seconds of the contest, as the Blues looked for a fast start at the RSC.
However, it was the visitors who opened the scoring after 8′ after Cara Jordan picked up a short corner before finding the bottom corner from 15 yards to give Gavin Hughes’ side an early lead.
Fiana Bradley looked to fire in an immediate response, attempting to lob McKiernan from the edge of the Sligo area, as the Sligo number 25 raced back in time to pick up Bradley’s effort.
Alana Doherty came close to doubling the visitors lead on 23′, prodding just wide at the back post from Emma Hansberry’s corner kick.
The second goal for Sligo came in the 40th minute, as Cara Jordan turned scorer to provider, crossing for Sydney Stephens at the back post to head home from close-range to give the visitors breathing space.
However, their lead didn’t last long, as Olivia Shannon found her first of the season, heading home from close range from Fiana Bradley’s cross after excellent work from Kaytlin Conroy to get the Blues back in the game.
Jordan tested Maeve Williams early into the second-half from 25 yards after getting through the Blues midfield, with the Blues skipper equal to the effort from the American.
Just after the hour mark, Bradley forced McKiernan into a low save shortly after Gary Hunt made his first tow changes of the day with Lauren Egbuloniu & Chloe Atkinson entering the field of play.
Egbuloniu came inches away from levelling for the Blues, firing just wide of the Sligo left-hand post after reacting quickest inside the visitors penalty area, as the Blues looked to force an equaliser.
Anna McDaniel shot over Williams’ crossbar for the visitors inside the last 15 minutes, as the Blues survived a big attack from the northwest side.
Despite the Blues pressing in the final minutes, it was Sligo who saw out the remaining minutes to pick up all three points at the RSC.
Waterford FC: Williams (GK) (C); Conroy (74′ K. Burke), Carley (74′ S. Dumevi), D. Burke, Doherty, Lawler (59′ Atkinson); O’Donoghue, Lenihan (83′ Bibby), Walsh; Shannon (59′ Egbuloniu), Bradley.
Sligo Rovers FC: McKiernan (GK), Kelly, Doherty (88′ McGrory), Hansberry (C), Jordan, Baptista Filipe, Hillyer (37′ Hallinan), McQuillan (66′ Lillie), Stephens, King (88′ Melly), McDaniel.
Attendance: 211
