ELEANOR RYAN DOYLE netted a brace to move top of the goalscoring charts as Peamount United eased past DLR Waves at the UCD Bowl.
The striker made it eight goals in seven games with a goal in either half as she presses her case for inclusion in Vera Pauw’s international squad this summer.
Lucan native Ryan Doyle has been part of home-based squads in recent weeks and, in front of Pauw’s assistant Eileen Gleeson, she further underlined her case for the Iceland friendlies.
Playing as a false nine ahead of the impressive Sadhbh Doyle, Ryan Doyle opened the scoring with a fine diving header before wrapping up the win from the penalty spot.
The striker had already tested the reflexes of Ireland international Eve Badana with a curling effort from the edge of the box before Aine O’Gorman forced another save.
Peamount have struggled to break teams down early on this season but they got the early goal they craved after 17 minutes as Ryan Doyle finished off a flowing move.
Aine O’Gorman’s diagonal run sucked out Niamh Barnes and left the space for Ryan Doyle to plant a firm diving header past the helpless Badana.
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There were further chances for Ryan Doyle and Lauryn O’Callaghan, both saved by Badana, while two shots in quick succession from Rachel Doyle didn’t trouble Peas keeper Naoisha McAloon.
O’Gorman should have doubled her side’s lead late in the first half when picked out by Sahdbh Doyle but she uncharacteristically scuffed her effort.
Waves pushed forward after the break but Peamount used the space to counter quickly, and O’Gorman saw her shot blocked by Katie Burdis before Megan Smyth-Lynch shot wide.
The second arrived in contentious circumstances as Aoife Brophy was harshly judged to have clipped Lucy McCartan in the area, despite no protest from the Peas midfielder.
Ryan Doyle buried the spot kick to bring her tally for the season to eight, and she could easily have had a hat-trick only for Badana to pull off another fine save.
The in-form Badana denied Steph Roche after Barnes was caught in possession but the second goal wasn’t required as the champions showed their quality to close out the game.
Elsewhere, Emily Whelan’s first-half goal proved decisive as Shelbourne were 1-0 winners against Bohemians. Cork City were beaten 3-2 at home to Treaty United, with a superb Gillian Keenan effort the pick of the goals at Turner’s Cross.
Meanwhile a 90th-minute winner from Muireann Devaney saw Athlone Town come out on top of a seven-goal thriller at Eamonn Deacy Park as they beat Galway 4-3.
DLR Waves: Eve Badana; Aoife Brophy (Nicole Keogh 84), Jess Gleeson, Niamh Barnes, Katie Burdis (Niamh Prior 63); Ciara Maher (Kerri Letmon 63), Rachel Doyle, Nadine Clare (Fiona Donnelly 63); Katie Malone, Shauna Carroll (Catherine Cronin 84), Carla McManus.
Peamount United: Naoisha McAloon; Lauryn O’Callaghan, Claire Walsh, Tiegan Ruddy (Della Doherty 88), Dearbhaile Beirne; Karen Duggan, Lucy McCartan (Dora Gorman 88), Sadhbh Doyle (Becky Watkins 69); Aine O’Gorman, Megan Smyth-Lynch (Stephanie Roche 69), Eleanor Ryan Doyle (Alannah McEvoy 90).
Referee: Sean Stephens (Dublin).
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