League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division

• Athlone Town 3-1 Shamrock Rovers
• Cork City 6-0 Peamount United
• DLR Waves 0-3 Treaty United
• Shelbourne 2-2 Sligo Rovers
• Galway United 1-1 Waterford
• Wexford 1-1 Bohemians

THE LILY AGG era at Athlone Town got off to a winning start with a hard-fought win at home to a spirited Shamrock Rovers side to go within a point of leaders Galway United.

Thanks to goals from Madie Gibson, Dana Scheriff and Hazel Donegan, with Sadbh Doyle responding, the home side made it seven wins in their last eight games to keep the pressure on the still unbeaten Galway United side at the summit

Agg was sporting an unwanted grey boot and crutches on the bench as she continues to recover from a ruptured Achilles, but was up off the bench and instructing her new side straight from the off.

The Ireland international saw her troops create the first chance of the game after a couple of minutes when Gibson swung in a dangerous ball from the left wing, finding her American counterpart who volleyed over first time.

And it took until just the 14th minute for the first goal to arrive following intense pressure on Maria Reynolds from Gibson and Scheriff who blocked the clearance. The ball fell kindly to the former, who quickly released Scheriff through on goal.

But the league’s top scorer saw her initial attempt of a dink over the onrushing Courtney Maguire well saved, but on the rebound returned the favour squaring to Gibson to finish.

But the visitors kept level-headed and found the equaliser just five minutes later, following some tenacious play down the right wing by Della Cowper-Gray.

The Irish under-19 International showed great strength and composure to initially burst through a challenge on the endline before clipping the ball across for Sadhbh Doyle to volley home from close range.

Not to be outdone by the ongoing World Cup, a much talked about “hydration break” followed allowing both sets of teams to regroup.

But it was the visitors who continued to look more of a threat. Following a well struck Doyle effort from outside the box, Ella Kelly demonstrated her terrifying pace getting in behind the Town’s rearguard but was smothered by Courtney Maguire just as the flying winger pulled the trigger.

On the stroke of half time, and in almost identical circumstances to the opening goal, Cowper-Gray and Doyle almost combined to put their side ahead but on this occasion Doyle’s touch was just a little heavy with the goal at her mercy.

A big half-time team talk was needed by the rookie manager to wrestle momentum back for the double winners, as Agg made an attacking change introducing Noelle Murray for Chloe Singleton and on the hour mark substitute produced a bit of Murray-magic to feed Scheriff who rounded the Budden but the angle was against her.

Worrying scenes followed as Budden clashed with Scheriff as the Hoops stopper claimed an overhit free-kick, needing to be checked by the onsite ambulance. Her replacement Erica Turner was involved in a hugely controversial decision that saw her concede a penalty minutes after her introduction.

Turner raced off her line to collect an over hit through ball, but as she slid out and turned with the ball in her hands was then adjudged to have caught Roisin Molloy with her trailing leg. Sheriff made no mistake from 12-yards to bag her 10th league goal of the season.

Rovers continued to carry a threat but were undone on the break when Hazel Donegan made sure of all three points with a first time finish to break Hoops hearts.