A top four breakaway is in motion following the weekend’s Series 7 of WNL action as Peamount United, Wexford Youths, Shelbourne and DLR Waves all emerged victorious while Galway WFC, Cork City, Athlone Town and Bohemians suffered their wrath. Treaty United sat this weekend out and a distinctive split in the table is now evident heading into the 8th week of fixtures.
How things stand...#WNL | #LOITV pic.twitter.com/VOMNZmjFIu
— Women's National League (@LoiWomen) May 16, 2021
Shelbourne 5-0 Galway WFC, 2pm Saturday 15th May, Tolka Park
From the outset of this one Shelbourne were purposeful in their intent to snatch the three points and marked their tenacity in their opening goal from Jessica Ziu on the 17-minute mark.
Bringing the teenagers’ tally to 2 goals in 2 games Shels would be happy with the doggedness of their strikeforce, Jamie Finn also joining their goalscoring ranks with her first of the season 25 minutes in.
An outside of the box Ciara Grant punt and Saoirse Noonan’s penalty assured it was 4-0 to the home side before the break, while Noelle Murray tied down the 5th and final goal of the game in the 75th minute.
While it was an impressive attacking display without doubt for the Dublin team their defense is also clearly in safe hands as Amanda Budden secured her 4th clean sheet of the campaign, putting her ahead of DLR Waves’s Eve Badana (3) and Peamount’s Naoisha McAloon and Niamh Reid Burke who both have two scoreless matches’ clocked to date.
⚽ GOAL | @NoelleM11
A lovely long-range effort from the Shelbourne number 10 sails into the back of the net.@shelsfc 5-0 @GalwayWFC #WNL | #LOITV pic.twitter.com/kUJaFSRVz0— Women's National League (@LoiWomen) May 15, 2021
Peamount United 3-1 Cork City, 6pm Saturday 15th May, PLR Park
Cork provided an exceptionally competitive game for league leaders Peamount before it unravelled in the closing stages for Ronan Collins’s team.
Heading into the break it was 1-1 a piece thanks to an Eleanor Ryan Doyle blow and an Eva Mangan retaliation rebound (her first goal for Cork City), the scoreline reflecting the evenly contested nature of the first half.
As ever though Peamount’s ability and experience in wrapping up matches shone through again when Ryan Doyle racked up her second with a thundering header and Áine O’Gorman clinched James O’Callaghan’s side some breathing room with her half volley in the 83rdminute.
Overall, however Cork City will be delighted with their showing against the reigning champions, Sarah McKevitt and Becky Cassin causing them plenty of problems up front and keeper McCarthy alongside her defense holding out countless more chances.
⚽ GOAL | @Aineogor9
Peamount increase their lead through O'Gorman with less than 10 minutes to go.@peamountutd 3-1 @CorkCityFCWomen #WNL | #LOITV pic.twitter.com/dZhNORXItj— Women's National League (@LoiWomen) May 15, 2021
Wexford Youths 7-1 Bohemians, 6:30pm Saturday 15th May, Ferrycarrig Park
Wexford captain Kylie Murphy saw herself shoot to joined second in the top goalscorer table as she put two past a bedraggled Bohemians on Saturday.
With both goals coming in the opening half hour (the second from the penalty spot) Murphy joined teammate Ellen Molloy in the race for the golden boot, the pair sitting at second with 5 goals each so far this season, behind Rachel Kearns (Galway WFC) and Eleanor Ryan Doyle (Peamount United) who each have 6 to their name.
Aisling Frawley made it 3-0 in Wexford’s favor after she broke out behind the away teams’ defensive line, the scorecard remaining so heading into the break.
Yvonne Hedigan conceded an OG at the end of a superb Ciara Rossiter cross, while substitute Lauren Kelly scored a brace and Kim Flood bagged her first ever goal for The Youths.
Erica Burke did manage to pull back a consolation for Bohemians but Wexford proved too much for the Dublin team, the game finishing up at 7-1 in Ferrycarrig Park.
Athlone Town 0-1 DLR Waves,7pm Saturday 15th May, Athlone Town Stadium
The late kick off on Saturday saw a tight affair in which DLR eventually surfaced triumphant as Carla McManus’s 3rd goal in 4 games proved decisive.
Coming 6 minutes in her header broke the deadlock at the end of Shauna Carroll’s cross and was to be the only goal of the game.
McManus came close once again in the second half but her forceful attempt reverberated back off the woodwork and left the scoreline at 1-0.
The away win was tough earned as Athlone battled to the bitter end, a penalty shout not going their way when Muireann Devaney was pulled down inside the box and their notable work ethic indisputable throughout.
@Carlamcmanus5 with her 3rd goal in 4 games last night to secure all 3 points away to @AthloneTownAFC in our @LoiWomen game ? pic.twitter.com/daaaMwJDnv
— DLRWaves (@DLRWaves) May 16, 2021
Next week
While Wexford Youths lie idle this weekend, 4th place DLR take on top spot Peamount, while Cork City face Treaty United in a bottom of the table clash. The ever-exciting Dublin derby between Shelbourne and Bohemians marks the first game on Saturday and Galway WFC Vs Athlone Town will prove vital in the points race for both sides.
? FOR YOUR CALENDAR
All games on https://t.co/8yFxgvR8mX ?#WNL | #LOITV pic.twitter.com/4EG7J8HMny— Women's National League (@LoiWomen) May 17, 2021
