Peamount United 0
DLR Waves 0
Dave Donnelly reports from PRL Park
EVE BADANA’S FIRST-HALF penalty save denied Peamount United to ensure the title race will go right down to the final day.
Galway are the guests in Greenogue next week as the Peas get another bite at the cherry but how they will regret not taking their chance in front of the TV cameras.
Despite the scoreline, the game didn’t lack for action with both sides showcasing the best the domestic league has to offer.
Ireland striker Stephanie Roche also struck the crossbar in the second half as Peamount sought to seal a historic third title in succession.
A tense opening period produced few chances as two well-drilled defences kept one another at bay. What clear chances did arise were shots from distance, with Roche clearing the bar with one early on before Becky Watkins and Tiegan Ruddy both called Badana into action.
Peamount were the nominal away side despite enjoying home comforts as Waves gave up ground advantage as men’s rugby took precedence at the UCD Bowl.
It’s a ground Waves have enjoyed some of their best performances, however, having only lost narrowly here in August thanks to a late Lauryn O’Callaghan winner.
O’Callaghan and Sadhbh Doyle, two regular starters, missed out with injury and their absence was felt as Peas lacked some of thir usual fluency.
They got a stroke of luck when Aoife Brophy was penalised for handball, but Badana was equal to Ruddy’s low spot kick and the score remained level.
Badana pulled off an even better save moments later to deny Aine O’Gorman, and she held the winger’s goalbound volley after the break.
Waves’ best chances came late on as Kerri Letmon curled inches over before a spectacular injury-time effort from Jess Glesson just cleared the crossbar.
Elsewhere, in their final game of the season, Cork City set a new attendance record for a League game with 1,007 spectators filing into Turner’s Cross for their 3-1 victory over Treaty United.
Peamount United: Naoisha McAloon; Lucy McCartan, Chloe Moloney, Tiegan Ruddy, Dearbhaile Beirne; Dora Gorman, Karen Duggan, Stephanie Roche; Aine O’Gorman, Becky Watkins (Megan Smyth-Lynch 71), Alannah McEvoy (Lauren Kelly 76).
DLR Waves: Eve Badana; Aoife Brophy, Jess Gleeson, Niamh Barnes, Niamh Prior; Fiona Donnelly, Nadine Clare, Rachel Doyle (Carla McManus 70); Kerri Letmon, Avril Brierley (Catherine Cronin 56), Katie Malone.
Referee: Claire Purcell
WNL Results
- Peamount United 0-0 DLR Waves
- Bohemians 1-3 Shelbourne
- Cork City 3-1 Treaty United
- Galway 1-1 Athlone