Peamount United 2-0 Wexford Youths
Peamount United became SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division champions for the fourth time following a 2-0 victory over Wexford Youths at Ferrycarrig Park.
The Peas extended their lead at the top of the table to 12 points, with two games still to play, but hold a better head-to-head record over second-placed Shamrock Rovers, so they have done enough to be determined as League winners.
The Dublin club will get to lift the trophy in their final League game, at home to Sligo Rovers, on Saturday, November 11 but the hard work is done now and they deserve all of the plaudits that will surely come their way.
It wasn’t easy to get over the line as a second-half brace from Ellen Dolan proved to be the difference in a tight game – their 18th of a campaign that began on March 4.
Peamount have been excellent all season with the joint best attack (39 goals scored), joint second best defence (11 goals conceded), most clean sheets (11) and most wins (16). And they still have two games left over.
Manager James O’Callaghan – who becomes the first manager in League history to lead a team to three League titles (2019, 2020, 2023) – trusted in his team and they delivered. In particular, Ireland Women’s Under-19 international Freya Healy stood out.
The talented midfielder registered the first chance of note in the game when firing over from distance and then had a shot cleared off the line by the superb Lauren Dwyer. Then she supplied the assist for the opening goal.
Collecting a short corner from Jess Fitzgerald, Healy had time to pick out the perfect cross for Dolan to head in from the middle of the six-yard box. It was a goal worth waiting for.
On 81 minutes, Dolan got her second goal when stretching to meet a cross from Sadhbh Doyle and direct her shot past goalkeeper Claudia Keenan, who got her footwork wrong and could not keep it out.
Peamount had a couple of other half chances after that but they had the goals required to collect the three points that secured the League title. Mission complete for the Peas!
In the day’s other game, Cork City celebrated their first win of the season as they overcame Treaty United 1-0 courtesy of a first-half strike from Heidi O’Sullivan.
There are three more games to be played in Round 20 on Wednesday evening.
Wexford Youths: Claudia Keenan; Meabh Russell, Nicola Sinnott, Lauren Dwyer, Orlaith Conlon; Abbie Brophy (Aoibheann Clancy 61), Edel Kennedy (Michaela Lawrence 78), Kylie Murphy (Ceola Bergin 78), Ciara Rossiter; Ellen Molloy; Emily Corbet (Shauna Carroll 89).
Peamount United: Niamh Reid-Burke; Lauryn O’Callaghan, Jetta Berrill, Chloe Moloney, Dearabhile Beirne; Jess Fitzgerald, Karen Duggan; Freya Healy (Becky Watkins 80), Sadhbh Doyle, Erin McLaughlin; Ellen Dolan (Avril Brierley 90).
Referee: Jason Moore.
