DLR WAVES MOVED ahead of opponents Cork City in the WNL table after a stunning comeback victory in Bishopstown this afternoon.
Waves recovered from a 2-0 half-time deficit, and a 3-1 second-half deficit, to somehow turn the game on its head and leave Leeside on the right side of a seven-goal thriller.
A brace from Ciara Maher including the winner deep into stoppage time, added to a penalty by Rachel Doyle and either an own goal or one by Leanne Payne, was enough for the Dun Laoghaire club to head back up the M50 with all three points.
City have endured a torrid spell of late, losing their last six and scoring just once in their last three, conceding 10. During last weekend’s 5-0 defeat away at Shelbourne, they couldn’t field any substitutes.
But in the last game before a muhc-needed mid-season break, first-half goals by Katie McCarthy and Christina Dring within two minutes of each other put Cork in charge, McCarthy turning home Maggie Duncliffe’s corner and the pacy Dring slotting past Erica Turner after collecting a long ball behind the Waves’ defence.
City ‘keeper Maria O’Sullivan made a fingertip save from Payne to keep it at 2-0 at the break.
After the break, a way back for Waves: Kerri Letmon won the ball back inside the Cork box and allowed Payne to win a penalty for the visitors.
Doyle did the job from the spot, and the Dubliners were back in it. Or so it seemed.
Despite a brief spell of sustained pressure from Waves after their goal, City went up the other end and scored against the run of play, Dring firing home from an acute angle to stretch City’s lead to 3-1 on 54 minutes.
Ciara Maher dragged the away side back into proceedings with a tidy finish, making use of a superb ball in her direction by fellow goalscorer Doyle.
With the clock ticking down, Waves again poured it on Cork, with Payne hitting the bar after a quick throw by Keelin McEntee.
They pulled level with just under 10 minutes remaining, however, with a corner resulting in the ball being scrambled past O’Sullivan between the City sticks. Midfielder Payne claimed it, and it would appear the goal will indeed belong to her in the record books.
Deep into stoppage time, Waves completed their remarkable comeback: A cross by McEntee resulted in Catherine Cronin’s blocked shot falling into the path of Maher, who duly buried it with seconds remaining.
In victory, Waves move about City into fifth.
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