DLR Waves 1
Shelbourne 2
Dave Donnelly reports from the UCD Bowl
A STUNNING LATE strike from Rebecca Cooke brought a fitting conclusion to a thrilling Dublin Derby as Shelbourne stayed level at the top of the table with a 2-1 win over DLR Waves.
The limited-capacity sell-out crowd were treated to one of the games of the season played at a relentless pace in spite of the intense sunshine baking the UCD Bowl.
Saoirse Noonan had put the visitors in front early in the half with her seventh goal of the season before former Ireland international Jetta Berrill finished off a fine passing move to level up.
The game looked set for a deadlock that would have seen Peamount moved back to sole leadership of the league table before substitute Cooke produced a moment of magic three minutes from time.
Both sides had chances during a frenetic opening 20 minutes, and Shels had keeper Amanda Budden to thank for an outstanding double save to deny Jess Gleeson and Carla McManus.
The former Cork City goalkeeper did well to keep out Gleeson’s initial free header from Niamh Prior’s corner, and she was up quickly to keep out Waves’ top scorer’s follow-up.
Budden did well to tip over Katie Malone’s effort moments later, and saved another header from the same player as Waves maintained the pressure.
A fantastic cross-field pass from Letmon sent captain Catherine Cronin clear but the ball wouldn’t quite settle for the winger and Jess Gargan was able to get back to clear.
Shels were a constant threat themselves, and Ireland keeper Eve Badana had to be at her best to turn a spectacular Noonan overhead out for a corner.
The pace didn’t let up after the break but it was Shels who were rewarded for their early endeavour as they hit the front within three minutes of the restart.
A scramble on the edge of the box ended with Noonan in space, and the winter recruit from Cork City was ruthless, smashing the ball into the top corner.
If Waves felt hard done by, they didn’t have to wait long to draw level as the introduction of four subs by manager Graham Kelly paid instant dividends.
Shauna Carroll did well to hold the ball up wide on the left and she picked out her fellow sub Avril Brierley inside.
Brierley picked out a third sub, Berrill, bursting in from the right and the winger, who has recently returned to sign permanently after living in Hungary, finished with style.
The tempo naturally dipped as the heat took its toll in the final quarter, but Cooke continued to have a strong influence and she hit the bar with a mishit corner kick late on.
There was nothing mishit about the goal that won the game, though, and if it’s her final contribution before returning to college in Connecticut, it was a fine one.
Waves were aggrieved by what they viewed as a foul throw in the build-up, but Cooke paid no mind and unleashed a stunning shot that left Badana, again, helpless in off the bottom of the bar.
Elsewhere, Peamount United moved ahead of Shels at the top on goal difference after a 5-1 victory at home to Treaty United.
First-half goals from Sadhbh Doyle and Eleanor Ryan-Doyle put Peamount two up, but that margin was cut short immediately by Aoife Cronin.
Two goals in three second-half minutes from Alannah McEvoy and Ryan-Doyle made the game safe before Karen Duggan scored the Peas’ fifth four minutes from time.
Wexford Youths remain one point back of Peamount and Shels after their 1-0 win against Galway while Cork City and Athlone Town shared the points with a 2-2 draw.
DLR Waves: Eve Badana; Aoife Brophy, Jess Gleeson, Niamh Barnes, Niamh Prior (Katie Burdis 83); Fiona Donnelly, Ciara Maher (Rachel Doyle 56), Katie Malone (Avril Brierley 63); Kerri Letmon (Jetta Berrill 56), Catherine Cronin (Shauna Carroll 56), Carla McManus.
Shelbourne: Amanda Budden; Jess Gargan, Pearl Slattery, Jessie Stapleton, Rachel Graham; Jamie Finn, Ciara Grant, Mia Dodd (Rebecca Cooke 59); Jessica Ziu (Keeva Keenan 70), Emily Whelan, Saoirse Noonan (Noelle Murray 85).
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