SSE Airtricity WNL Round-Up | Series 16

SSE Airtricity WNL Round-Up | Series 16

Shelbourne extended their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Women's National League with a thrilling Dublin Derby triumph over Peamount United.

Victories were also secured by Athlone Town, Bohemians and Galway WFC, while DLR Waves drew with Wexford Youths in Series 16.

Bohemians 3-0 Treaty United

Treaty were still looking for their first win of the season when they arrived at Dalymount Park to play Bohemians and they held out until the 20th minute before a wonder strike from Chloe Darby put the home side ahead.

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Just after the half hour a marvellous bit of skill from Jesse Mendez almost pulled Treaty level but goalkeeper Rachael Kelly pulled off a smart save to deny the midfielder.

Treaty were still well in the game after an hour of play but the killer blow was delivered on 63 minutes when Bohemians broke forward and a sublime pass found the run of Rebecca Cooke who swept the ball past Michaela Mitchell to make it 2-0.

That looked to be that as the game moved into added time but Bohs weren’t quite finished. With just seconds remaining Aoife Robinson strode towards goal and unleashed a ferocious shot that rocketed into the top corner and hand the home team a 3-0 win.

DLR Waves 0-0 Wexford Youths 

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This was a preview, of sorts, of the EVOKE.ie FAI Women's Cup quarter-final that they will contest in three weeks' time.

In the 20th minute, DLR goalkeeper Eve Badana intercepted an excellent through ball for Kylie Murphy who was rushing in on goal. Soon after, Sarah McKevitt made a great run down the right-hand side for the hosts. She took on the shot which required a good save from Maeve Williams in the Wexford goal.

Badana was in top form once again for The Waves, timing her interceptions perfectly and stopping a number of good Wexford counter attacks. 

In the 36th minute, Katie Malone nearly scored the spectacular for DLR, controlling the ball in the air and hitting the volley, but her shot just sailed over the bar. 

The second half saw much of the same, few chances and a tough contest in the middle of the park. Both sets of defenders worked tirelessly to keep the opposite team from taking the lead.

Wexford had the better opportunities as the clock was counting down, with Ellen Molloy and Jess Lawler getting close. The score however finished 0-0, with both teams taking a point.

Galway WFC 5-1 Cork City

Cork City suffered the worst possible start when they conceded an own goal from a corner after just one minute. Lynsey McKey sent in a corner from the left which was knocked into her own net by Ciara McNamara.

Four minutes later another McKey corner was headed home by Bryce Reynolds for number two and, unbelievably, just two minutes after that Jamie Erickson headed home from yet another corner, this time from the right, to make it 3-0 with less than 10 minutes played.

Cork boss Danny Murphy made three changes at the break and that made a difference just six minutes into the second half when one of those subs, Nathalie O’Brien, split the defence for Nadine Seward to hoist a cross to the back post where another of the changes, Laura Shine, pulled a goal back for the visitors.

Cork's hopes of a comeback lasted just three minutes. A rapid break by Galway led to a chipped ball from Julie-Ann Russell into the path of McKey who tucked a neat shot inside Maria O’Sullivan’s near post to make it 4-1.

A few minutes later McKey struck again, sliding in a fifth for Galway and putting an emphatic end to Cork’s hopes.

Peamount United 0-4 Shelbourne

A much anticipated game between two fierce rivals certainly lived up to expectations, with Shels coming away victorious with an emphatic four-goal victory. 

It was an entertaining first half, Shelbourne having the better chances but Peamount having majority of the possession. In the 23rd minute, the ball was adjudged by the referee to have been handled in the box, and Jessie Stapleton scored the from the spot to put the visitors ahead. 

Peamount had a couple of good chances, with Erin McLaughlin hitting the crossbar after good work from Tara O’Hanlon on the left-hand side. 

In the second half, Peamount really worked hard to get an equaliser. Shelbourne brought on super-sub Abbie Larkin who didn’t take long to make her impact. 

In the 79th minute, goalkeeper Niamh Reid-Burke played a loose pass from the ball and Larkin pounced to double Shels advantage. In the 84th minute, Larkin got her second with a great finish. Larkin got her third to complete her hat-trick in the 91st minute. Aoife Kelly played a through ball behind the Peamount defence for Larkin to run on to and slot away.

An emphatic win for the league leaders and a brilliant performance from 17-year-old Larkin. There were positives to take from Peamount’s overall game, but they’ll be disappointed with the scoreline.

 

Sligo Rovers 1-2 Athlone Town

Athlone started this game very quickly and nearly got the first goal of the game when Róisín Molloy hit the crossbar in the first minute. 

Sligo reacted well to Athlone’s fast start and in the 8th minute took the lead. Emma Doherty played a perfect pass into the path of Gemma McGuinness, and McGuinness accurately slotted the ball past Niamh Coombes in the Athlone net.

On 20 minutes, Athlone were back on level terms after a great strike from Maddison Gibson. The away side had a few chances from corner kicks afterwards, but nothing to trouble Farragh McDonagh in the Sligo goal.

In the 34th minute, Doherty nearly put the home side ahead, but her shot just over the crossbar. A great effort from Rovers’ number 9 who was a stand-out player for them.

The second half started a bit slower than the first, with not many clear cut chances for either side. Athlone had a number of chances from corner kicks again in the second half, but none to trouble McDonagh in goal.

Athlone got the winning goal late on in the game, with Gillian Keenan finishing smartly to give her side all 3 points in the 86th minute.

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