Another in the opening 25 minutes was enough to suck the air out of them.
Western Springs have the chance to win back-to-back Kate Sheppard Cup titles after they beat the Royals 3-0 in their semifinal at Tahuna Park on Saturday.
The defending champions will face Auckland United — who won the national league last year — in the final on September 7.
It just was not the day the Royals had hoped for, the team recording their first loss of the season and leaking their first goals in the cup.
Had it not been for the opening two goals rattling the Royals, who knows what could have happened?
Liz Savage was busy down the right flank and put in a nice cross to Rina Hirano, who put her shot away in the third minute.
Minutes later they reversed roles.
Hirano from the left put a cross into the box and Savage finished off a rather innocuous touch for the visitors to go up 2-0 in the opening five minutes.
It was a painful start for the Royals, who really struggled to find their connections in the opening quarter and could not make anything stick.
Western Springs captain Tiana Hill looked to be on target but Royals keeper Lauren Paterson had a stunning save.
That landed still in the box as Western Springs looked to punish, but Paterson did enough on the ground to prevent the ball going over the line in a brilliant double save that earned applause from the crowd.
After the subsequent corner, the Royals tried to exit but it landed with Rebecca Burrows, who deflected it and then found the back of the net for Western Springs to lead 3-0 after 24 minutes — a deflating moment for the home side.
It was a better second half for the Royals, even if they could not eat into the deficit.
Nieve Collin put Georgia Kennedy into space in the opening minute only for her attempt to be saved, but still it displayed more resolve than the team had in the first half.
Shontelle Smith — who took some massive hits — was busy throughout, as was Abby Rankin in the middle.
The Royals managed to win a couple of corners, but could not make anything of them.
Rose Morton had the best chance of the game when Smith put her into space in the box, but she was tackled in the box by the keeper, and despite wanting the call, nothing came.
Maybe that summed up the day for the Royals.
They worked tirelessly to try to make something happen, but it just never quite came in a game that got away from them early.
Western Springs could have extended their lead several times had they not been found offside more often than not.
They were quieter on attack in the second half but were stoic defensively to deny the Royals a sniff of a goal.
Defender Hannah Mackay-Wright was her usual rock-solid self in her 100th game for the club.
In the Chatham Cup, Auckland City and Wellington Olympic will meet in the final at North Harbour Stadium on September 7.
In yesterday’s semifinals, Auckland downed Birkenhead United 4-2 in extra time after the score was tied 2-2 after 90 minutes, while Wellington Olympic thrashed Coastal Spirit 5-1.
Kate Sheppard Cup
The scores
Western Springs 3
Rina Hirano 3’, Liz Savage 5’, Rebecca Burrows 24’
Dunedin City Royals 0
Halftime: Western Springs 3-0.
