LAST UPDATE | 14 Oct 2023
PEAMOUNT UNITED ARE the 2023 SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division champions, while Athlone Town and Shelbourne will contest the 2023 Women’s FAI Cup final.
James O’Callaghan’s side were confirmed league winners after a 2-0 win away to Wexford Youths this afternoon.
Ireland underage international Ellen Dolan bagged a second-half brace at Ferrycarrig Park, as Peas clinched the title with two games to go. The Greenogue outfit, captained by Karen Duggan, last reigned supreme in 2020, with Shelbourne back-to-back champions in the interim.
Shels and Shamrock Rovers — to whom Peas lost big name players like Áine O’Gorman and Stephanie Zambra at the start of the season — ran them closest, but O’Callaghan’s side have been the outstanding team in league fare with 16 wins, one draw and one defeat from 18 games.
They’re now 12 points clear at the top, a better head-to-head record over second-placed Rovers ultimately determining them champions.
After a tense first half in which chances were few and far between on Slaneyside, Peamount began to mount the pressure around the hour-mark.
Dolan broke the deadlock in the 64th minute, heading come a superb cross from a quick corner delivered by Freya Healy. Just beforehand, the provider saw an effort cleared off the line by Lauren Dwyer.
In the 81st minute, Dolan got on the end of a Sadhbh Doyle cross amidst a brilliant counter-attack and sealed the deal, Peas knowing they needed three points from their remaining three fixtures before kick-off to win.
The Peas have done it!
— SSE Airtricity (@sseairtricity) October 14, 2023
SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division Champions 2023 🏆
Huge Congrats @peamountutd 👏 pic.twitter.com/M0OyL3EkQO
“It was amazing. I wasn’t expecting to get on the scoresheet at all, but when you have a class team around you like that, it’s easy,” Dolan told TG4 post-match.
“There was a lot of expectation on us from the start of the season. We have so many great players – Karen Duggan, she’s such a leader, amazing. We always knew ourselves [we could win it]. It’s unreal.”
“Absolutely delighted, speechless,” O’Callaghan added. “The girls put in a powerhouse of a performance against a really good Wexford side. It’s a great day for Peamount, a great day for the underdog and a great day for women’s football.”
“Massive congratulations to Peamount,” Wexford manager Lizzy Kent said. “The best teams win leagues, congratulations to them. That consistency has stood to them, and credit to James and the squad.”
Kent, who is also over the Wexford ladies football team, is in temporary charge after the mid-season departure of Stephen Quinn.
Peamount will lift the trophy after their final league game, at home to Sligo Rovers, on Saturday, 11 November.
Elsewhere, Cork City secured their first win of the league campaign with a 1-0 victory over Treaty United at Bishopstown. Heidi O’Sullivan’s fifth-minute goal ultimately settled the tie.
Meanwhile, Athlone Town and Shelbourne prevailed from their respective Women’s FAI Cup semi-finals to set-up a decider showdown next month.
Athlone Town advanced after a 4-0 win over Sligo Rovers as Shelbourne kept their title defence on the road with a 2-0 victory against Shamrock Rovers.
Madison Gibson scored a brace of goals in Athlone Town’s win, while Jessi Lynn Rossman and Roisín Molloy also found the target to send their side through to a second FAI Cup final in two years.
In the other semi-final, Christie Gray put Shels in front against Shamrock Rovers on 52 minutes before 15-year-old Hannah Healy added a second just over 20 minutes later to see them over the line at Tallaght Stadium. It came after a disappointing league defeat to the Hoops last week.
The Women’s FAI Cup final will take place at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday, 19 November.
