IT WAS A memorable day for Ireland underage international Eve O’Carroll, who made her Women’s Super League [WSL] debut in Manchester City’s 4-0 win over Leicester.
The 17-year-old midfielder came off the bench in the second half at the Joie Stadium as Khadija Shaw (two), Jess Park and Mary Fowler were on target for City.
“I thought Eve was good and her game understanding was good,” said City manager Gareth Taylor afterwards.
“The way she arrived and how she played her passes were good. Her age tells you everything, she’s got a good opportunity from the players around her to learn and grow. She’s been with us a lot and she hadn’t had the opportunity to get some time on the pitch. Today will give her an awful lot of confidence.
“She has room to grow because she’s really coachable. I think that’s the major thing.”
Making her @BarclaysWSL debut 🌟
— Manchester City Women (@ManCityWomen) December 8, 2024
Eve O'Carroll 👏 pic.twitter.com/XMcbDtNpJA
Sjoeke Nusken scored twice as Chelsea equalled the record for consecutive wins at the start of a WSL season with a 4-2 victory over Brighton.
The Blues matched Arsenal’s feat from the 2018-19 campaign of winning their first nine matches to maintain their perfect record under Sonia Bompastor and their five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table.
Nusken opened the scoring in the 35th minute and Aggie Beever-Jones added a second before Jelena Cankovic pulled one back in a lively ending to the first half.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryrd restored the two-goal advantage six minutes after the restart but Brighton moved back within one again through Kiko Seike in the 71st minute only for Nusken to make sure of the points in injury time.
Arsenal’s fine form under interim boss Renee Slegers continued with a 4-0 triumph over Aston Villa.
Alessia Russo was the star of the show, scoring the first and fourth goals, with Beth Mead and Stina Blackstenius also on target.
Katie McCabe provided the assist for Blackstenius as she returned from Ireland’s Euro 2025 play-off disappointment midweek. The Irish captain was yellow carded late on, while Anna Patten was on the losing Villa side.
Meanwhile, Manchester United were not to be outdone, also winning 4-0 against Liverpool.
Liverpool did the double over their rivals last season but United dominated this match, with Elisabeth Terland and Leah Galton scoring in the first half and Dominique Janssen and Melvine Malard in the second.
Leanne Kiernan and Niamh Fahey both featured as second-half substitutes for Liverpool.
Down at the bottom of the table, West Ham recovered from a nightmare start to defeat basement dwellers Crystal Palace 5-2.
It looked set to be Palace’s day when early efforts from Mille Gejl and Indiah Paige-Riley found the net.
But the Hammers took the lead before half-time through Vivianne Asseyi, Seraina Piubel and Manuela Pavi, and late strikes from Anouk Denton and Katrina Gorry sealed an important three points.
Hayley Nolan made her first start of the season for Palace as she returns from a shoulder injury, while Abbie Larkin and Izzy Atkinson went unused.
Everton remain deep in trouble after losing 2-1 to Tottenham. Bethany England opened the scoring in the 25th minute and then converted a penalty early in the second half after Sara Holmgaard had equalised. Courtney Brosnan and Heather Payne both played for the Toffees.
Irish players returned to action elsewhere over the weekend, having fallen agonisingly short in their Euro 2025 qualification bid to Wales. Amber Barrett scored a hat-trick for Standard Liege in Belgium yesterday.
We’re delighted to announce the appointment of a new management team at Peamount United consisting of Gary Seery and Emma Donohoe! 🤝🟢⚫️
— Peamount United Women (@PeamountWomen) December 8, 2024
Let’s get to work, Peas! 💪 pic.twitter.com/3DWFFuLQkl
Back home, Peamount United have announced a new management team of Gary Seery and Emma Donohue.
They succeed James O’Callaghan at the helm, with long-time coach Donohue stepping up alongside Offaly development officer and FAI performance analyst Seery.
- Additional reporting from Emma Duffy
As a Connacht man I really have to admire Leinster. They are so good at developing young players. From the schools through to the academy and on. If anything they are victims of their own success with an overflow of young talent. And it isn’t just down to financial backing as some say here, you have to produce the talent first and then mould it before the financial side kicks in. The rest of the provinces need to get their act together…I mean Munster have the second and third largest cities in Ireland this side of the border. Limericks rugby scene is non existent now. If it wasn’t for west cork producing players I don’t know where Munster would be. Connacht unfortunately will never be at the top table and Ulster flatter to decide, they have the potential.
@anthony davoren: Leinster had the good fortune of having a very strong and privately funded schools system. Fair dues to them for taking advantage of that but that’s a huge inherent advantage over the other provinces. That said, the other provinces didn’t get their act together until more recently and it’ll take time for the results if that to show. It’s true that Hurling seemed to win the battle for hearts and minds in Limerick recently leading to few young players from what was previously a stronghold.
@Michael Corkery: there are privately funded schools in every province though. Are the powers that be provincially doing enough to develop rugby in them? Compared to England and France where their big teams develop little to none of their squad players. They poach them from other areas. Leinster by default are actually providers to the other provinces with the exception of the odd player like Henshaw
@anthony davoren: Limerick still has the lions share of AIL clubs (not bad for 100 thousand+ people) but the IRFU are dead set on ruining the AIL so can see it getting worse.
Leinster team which is the basis of the Irish squad looked very average against a young enthusiast Bristol team albeit that Bristol are second in the English Prem.
The big change came when Snyman Barret Doris Porter were introduced from the bench… The point I’m trying to make is do Ireland have a Snyman and Barret type of player within in our 4 province’s…. From a Munster prospective I see Tom Aherne the closest to a Snyman type.., his athleticism and foot work and good with ball in hand…. Tom Farrell is the other player I see raising the awareness towards him and his ability the threaten the gain line and break tackles with off loading skillset .. he has really stepped up another notch since moving to Munster…. Again food for thought….?
@Den: PS my comment is not an attack on Leinster or the fact that they predominantly make up the Irish team…. That is deserving of how dominant Leinster have been over the last decade and more bit as Cullen and coaching staff have noticed Leinster are not the full package to compete the task and win the 5th star, but I feel if they can keep Snyman and Barret fit for Cup games I would fancy them strongly to win this competition….