WPD Round 1 Results
- Shelbourne 0-0 Sligo Rovers
- DLR Waves 1-1 Shamrock Rovers
- Cork City 0-2 Peamount United
- Wexford FC 0-2 Bohemians
- Athlone Town 0-2 Galway United
*****
CHAMPIONS PEAMOUNT UNITED opened their SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division title defence with a 2-0 win away to Cork City.
Erin McLaughlin and Karen Duggan scored the goals at Turner’s Cross as James Callaghan’s side made a winning start to the new season.
Irish international McLaughlin marked her 21st birthday with a superb strike in the 26th minute, and captain Karen Duggan doubled her side’s lead as the clock hit the hour mark.
🎥 | GOAL!
— LOI Women (@LoiWomen) March 9, 2024
That is some finish from Peamount’s Erin McLaughlin 🤩
26' | COR 0-1 PEA#WLOI | #CORPEA pic.twitter.com/Dq9rPJwvpP
🎥 | GOAL!
— LOI Women (@LoiWomen) March 9, 2024
Captain Karen Duggan slots another home for The Peas!
59' | COR 0-2 PEA#WLOI | #CORPEA pic.twitter.com/VG3BAzrDYJ
Elsewhere, Galway United and Bohemians enjoyed big wins on the road, while Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers were held to draws in the opening round.
Galway produced a huge second-half performance to secure an impressive 2-0 victory away to Athlone Town.
Jenna Slattery (penalty) and Eve Dossen both hit the net within 10 minutes as Phil Trill’s Tribe secured all three points against the FAI Cup champions.
Ciarán Kilduff’s Athlone had retained their President’s Cup crown with a statement 3-0 victory over Peamount last weekend, so this makes the league very interesting early on.
Bohemians beat Wexford 2-0 at Ferrycarrig Park, with Fiona Donnelly and Aoibhe Brennan both scoring brilliant goals in Ken Kiernan’s first competitive game at the helm.
It took Donnelly just eight minutes to break the deadlock with a cracking long-range effort, while Ireland U17 international Brennan sealed an impressive victory in the closing stages.
🎥 | GOAL!
— LOI Women (@LoiWomen) March 9, 2024
Fiona Donnelly that is a screamer! Bohs take the lead at Ferrycarrig Park.
8' | WEX 0-1 BOH#WLOI | #WEXBOH pic.twitter.com/39wZjapiJa
🎥 | GOAL!
— LOI Women (@LoiWomen) March 9, 2024
A special goal from youngster Aoibhe Brennan doubles Bohs’ advantage!
89' | WEX 0-2 BOH#WLOI | #WEXBOH pic.twitter.com/mwQRSIpnvz
It was a disappointing result for Wexford, who confirmed the retirement of long-serving star Edel Kennedy this morning.
Earlier, Shelbourne and Sligo Rovers shared the spoils after an entertaining stalemate at Tolka Park.
Sligo’s Tommy Hewitt will be the happier of the two new managers: Goalkeeper Amber Hardy and her defence were excellent as they frustrated Eoin Wearen’s Reds to claim an impressive draw in Drumcondra.
Similarly, DLR Waves and Shamrock Rovers could not be separated at UCD Bowl. Laura Heffernan’s hosts hit the front in the 28th minute, with Michelle Doonan on target, but Rovers denied them a shock win late on.
Ireland centurion Áine O’Gorman made no mistake with a 79th minute penalty.
Treaty United had a bye this weekend. They begin their campaign at home to DLR next weekend, with Peamount v Shelbourne the standout fixture of the round. Bohs and Athlone, Shamrock Rovers and Wexford, and Galway and Cork do battle elsewhere.
*****
Across the water in the Women’s FA Cup, Manchester United and Leicester City progressed to the semi-finals. United ran out 4-0 winners against Brighton and Hove Albion, with Ireland’s Aoife Mannion an unused substitute, while Leicester beat Liverpool 2-0. Niamh Fahey played the full game for the Reds, with Leanne Kiernan introduced off the bench.
“Very disappointing day for us,” Liverpool captain Fahey wrote on Instagram afterwards. “We will bounce back though. Thanks for your support, Reds.”
Assistant manager Jennifer Foster and first-team coach Stephen Kirby were in charge of Leicester as manager Willie Kirk is “assisting the club with an internal process”.
