Bohemians 0

DLR Waves 3

Dave Donnelly reports from Dalymount Park

DLR WAVES CRUISED into the second round of the FAI Cup thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win over Bohemians at Dalymount Park.

Second-half strikes from Rachel Doyle and substitute Ciara Maher sealed the win after Carla McManus had put the visitors in front late in the first half.

The first game of the WNL season to be played at the home of Irish football saw an in-form Bohs side welcome a Waves side on the back of putting five past Treaty United last week.

This was an altogether more tense affair as Bohs, who had seen their game with Athlone Town cancelled last Saturday, were well in the game for the first half hour.

Chances were few to that point, with Abbie Brophy, who lined up against her sister Aoife, for ing the first save from Waves keeper Eve Badana.

Within a minute, the visitors hit the front as they moved the ball quickly forward, the outstanding Nadine Clare finding Jetta Berrill out wide.

There was some debate about how strong a touch McManus got on the winger’s inviting cross, but the bal changed direction enough to beat Courtney Maguire in the Bohs goal.

Fiona Donnelly tested Maguire with a shot from distance soon after, while Clare pulled an effort wide as Waves went in a goal to the good.

A tense game opened up after the break but, despite Lisa Murphy calling Badana into action with a free kick, Waves continued to dominate.

A fine, flowing move should have ended in a second goal as Niamh Prior picked out Rachel Doyle, but she leaned back and put her shot over the bar.

The vice captain made amends moments later as got on the end of another slick passage, taking McManus’s chested pass and firing past Maguire.

Chloe Darby’s Well-struck effort required a save as Bohs rallied, while Maguire pulled off an outstanding point-blank save to deny Avril Brierley.

Waves would get the third goal in injury time, however, as substitute Maher broke free in the box and found the net with the aid of a deflection.

Bohemians: Courtney Maguire; Annmarie Byrne, Yvonne Hedigan, Isobel Finnegan, Hannah Tobin Jones (Bronagh Kane 71′); Abby Cahill, Sophie Watters, Chloe Darby; Abbie Brophy (Lara Phipps 85), Lisa Murphy, Erica Burke.

DLR Waves: Eve Badana; Aoife Brophy, Jess Gleeson, Niamh Barnes, Niamh Prior; Fiona Donnelly, Nadine Clare (Ciara Maher 86), Rachel Doyle (Avril Brierley 67); Jetta Berrill, Catherine Cronin (Kerri Letmon 75 (Shauna Carroll 86)), Carla McManus.