By the time substitute striker Nicole Kozlova found the net with two goals in three minutes deep into the final quarter, the edge had been well and truly stripped from a game where Glasgow’s rock-solid defence offered little or no light to the League of Ireland champions at any stage.

On the possession front, Athlone were a match for their visitors for the majority of the tie, but the double-chasing midlanders never looked like finding a way through a resolute and tight Glasgow defence.

By the end however, the arduous match schedule appeared to take too much of a toll and it was only by virtue of a combination of some superb saves from Maria Matthaiou and the assistance of the crossbar that the margin wasn’t stretched even further.

Athlone’s greater propensity for defensive errors was another marked difference between the teams. Three times in the first-half and again midway through the second, stray passes in their own backline opened the door for Glasgow, though none of the mistakes were punished.

Sofia Määttä was a constant threat to the Athlone defence down the right wing for the opening 45 minutes as well, with Natalie McNally repeatedly called into action to defend a handful of excellent deliveries from that flank.

With their own star wingers, Róisín Molloy and Madison Gibson, both rested for the opening 45 minutes, Athlone’s attempts to work the ball forward were ineffective and rare.

The energy that over 1500 supporters brought to the venue was shattered when Natalia Wróbel curled in a teasing delivery from the same right wing and hesitancy across the back line enabled it to run through to the far post where Whelan was waiting to head the ball in from five yards out.

The introduction of Molloy, Gibson and Shauna Brennan was a last throw of the dice to try and force at least a little bit of excitement and drama but a Hannah Waesch shot from over 20 yards out that flew well left and wide was as good as it got.

Molloy in particular worked hard to get to the by-line and get some deliveries across but Glasgow always seemed to have the answers and by the final quarter, they were finding more and more space, and the cracks started to widen.

Matthaiou made three outstanding stops and even succeeded in parrying Nicole Kozlova’s penalty, awarded despite the protests of Kayleigh Shine for a handball offence by the local centre-back. However, the keeper could do nothing as Katie Lockwood picked up the rebound and chipped the ball back across the goal for a simple tap in from Kozlova.

Another close-range finish from Kozlova and a thunderous Amy Anderson drive that slammed into the Athlone crossbar rubber-stamped Glasgow’s dominance, with Athlone wilting as they tried forlornly to add one more happy footnote to their historic campaign.

Town will now turn their attentions to the domestic League and Cup double. They are currently top of the Women’s League of Ireland Premier Division and booked their place in the FAI Cup final after beating Shamrock Rovers last weekend.

Athlone Town: Matthaiou; K Brennan, Shine, McNally (S Brennan HT), Rice; Slevin, Waesch (Fitzgerald 80); Ryan (Mooney 80), Murphy O’Connor (Molloy HT), Brady; Donegan (Gibson HT).

Glasgow City: Alexander; Evans, Golob, Smit, Muir; Lauder (McLaughlin 59); Määttä (Tanaka HT), Motlhalo (Anderson 66), Wróbel (Lockwood 59), Whelan; Forrest (Kozlova 59).

Referee: Karoline Wacker (Germany).