ATHLONE TOWN STUNNED Peamount United, Shelbourne conquered their north Dublin rivals, DLR Waves edged a tight contest, Galway took care of business and Wexford Youths fought hard for an away win on an exciting day of action in the SSE Airtricity Women’s National League.
Peamount United 0-1 Athlone Town
Athlone Town made it five wins on the bounce by overcoming Peamount on their own patch in PRL Park.
Stephanie Roche and Jetta Berrill went close for Peamount in the opening stages, but Athlone soon came into their own. The visitors took the lead on 21 minutes when Muireann Devaney did brilliantly to win possession and slotted in Emily Corbet to score her ninth goal of the season.
Áine O’Gorman had a super opportunity to equalise on the half-hour mark but dragged her shot wide of the post. Sadhbh Doyle put Berrill’s cross over the bar just before the break, as Athlone entered half time with the lead.
After the restart, Roche went close again but couldn’t keep her effort on target. Peamount, searching for the equaliser, put the pressure on the Athlone back line. Tiegan Ruddy’s free-kick failed to test goalkeeper Niamh Coombes on the hour-mark.
Athlone defended brilliantly throughout the closing stages, limiting the hosts to half-chances. Doyle went close with five minutes remaining before Roche’s shot from the edge of the box sailed over the bar.
Bohemians 0-3 Shelbourne
This was a tale of two halves as Bohemians more than held their own with the champions in the first period, but were overpowered in the second half.
Saoirse Noonan opened the scoring for Shels on 29 minutes with a lovely flick past goalkeeper Rachael Kelly, who was excellent throughout the first half.
GOAL ⚽️ | Bohemians 0-1 Shelbourne
— Women's National League (@LoiWomen) May 14, 2022
A deft flick from Saoirse Noonan opens the scoring at Dalymount Park
💻 https://t.co/QI1w0P094b#WNL | #LOITV pic.twitter.com/1DCBA5nE1g
Bohs matched their north Dublin rivals in every area of the pitch and had a couple of half chances, even striking the woodwork. But the pressure applied by the visitors after the interval turned the game.
Jess Ziu found herself unmarked in the penalty area to slot in a long throw from Keeva Keenan and then Noelle Murray, who was excellent all game, finished well to move the league leaders onto 27 points.
Cork City 1-2 Wexford Youths
This was a first game in charge for Cork’s interim manager Jess Lawton and she will be pleased with the performance of the Leesiders despite narrowly losing.
The first half ended scoreless as Cork did really well to limit the chances of Wexford, who were not as sharp and fluid in their play as they normally are.
Ellen Molloy eventually put Wexford in front with a superb free-kick that goalkeeper Abby McCarthy got a hand to but couldn’t keep out. Then Cork responded through ex-Wexford midfielder Becky Cassin with a brilliant strike.
Cork continued to scrap for every ball and looked likely to score on a couple of occasions but a lapse in concentration allowed Ciara Rossiter to pick out Emma Walker to head in the winning goal.
DLR Waves 3-2 Sligo Rovers
Graham Kelly’s team picked up a hard-fought three points at the UCD Bowl after going with an unchanged line-up and then losing Sarah McKevitt to injury early on.
The visitors opened the scoring on 10 minutes. A long ball broke to the onrushing Gemma McGuinness, who kept her cool and slotted the ball past Eve Badana to put Sligo ahead.
Waves went close to an equaliser on 20 minutes, but Katie Malone’s dangerous cross was well cut out by goalkeeper Amy Mahon, who had to be alert minutes later as she saved Avril Brierley’s looping header.
The hosts found the equaliser through midfielder Sophie Watters five minutes before the break, heading in from Rachel Doyle’s free-kick. Waves then took the lead on 50 minutes, as Brierley scored from close range after some poor Sligo defending.
Emma Doherty levelled matters again 10 minutes afterwards, but Kate Mooney was to be the match-winner as her thumping header won it for the home side, who remain in fifth place.
Galway WFC 3-0 Treaty United
This game was held up for 10 minutes in the first half due to a serious injury suffered by Treaty’s Amy Madden. That blow will make this latest loss sting even more as they remain winless this season.
Galway did what they had to do with Jenna Slattery (two) and Shauna Brennan providing the goals that keep Alan Murphy’s side moving on up as they continue to find their rhythm.
Slattery opened the scoring against her former club and proved to be a threat all game before Brennan complimented a sweet pass from Lynsey McKey to make it 2-0.
Treaty, in fairness, never stop working hard and could have done more possibly when they did break into Galway’s half. But Slattery wrapped things up late on to make it a home win.
