It's really heating up in the SSE Airtricity Women's National League as the top four teams, Wexford Youths, Shelbourne, Peamount United and Athlone Town all collected three points.
Wexford Youths 5-2 Sligo Rovers
Wexford started the day on top of the WNL table and they created the first opening after just five minutes when Ciara Rossiter fired in a fierce low shot that Amy Mahon did well to turn away.
Jess Lawler then missed two chances in succession, before Nicola Sinnott headed an Aoibheann Clancy free kick straight at Mahon. But all the pressure was coming from Wexford and it was no surprise when they took the lead just after the half hour. Rossiter floated a ball into the danger area and Kylie Murphy rose to head the ball over Mahon and into the net
Paula McGrory came close to a Sligo equaliser three minutes later when her long distance effort was turned onto the bar and over. But five minutes before the break Wexford scored a second when Rossiter steamed in at the back post to hammer home a header.
Sligo immediately pulled one back when Emma Doherty curled in an effort from way out on the left flank that drifted beautifully into the top corner of the Wexford goal.
Into the second half and Murphy bagged her second of the game, stabbing home a precision header from Rossiter’s corner in the 59th minute. But moments later Sligo struck again, Emma Doherty bundling home a corner that had been drifted in from the right.
With 12 minutes left the Rossiter-Murphy axis struck again, Rossiter again being the provider for a beautifully judged Murphy header that secured her a hat-trick, and her team the three points. One minute later Rossiter deservedly got her second and Wexford’s fifth, tucking home the rebound when Mahon parried Becky Watkins’ effort.
77 nóim #WNL
@YouthsWomen 4@sligorovers 2
Cúl amháin eile do Wexford Youths!
Kylie Murphy with a hat-trick!!! 💪@LoiWomen
Beo / Live ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/zEtNoxZhyg— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) October 15, 2022
DLR Waves 1-2 Shelbourne
An important win for Shelbourne who remain in contention for the top spot on the table.
Shelbourne got off to a good start in the game, when Jess Gargan found Abbie Larkin down the wing. The quick pace of Larkin beat DLR’s Louise Corrigan and Larkin squared the ball to Megan Smyth-Lynch to put Shelbourne ahead.
A second was added to the scoreline for The Reds after Jessie Stapleton rose highest in the box at the back post to put it past Eve Badana.
The Waves were quick to respond however after good possessional play. Sarah McKevitt’s shot was saved by Amanda Budden initially, but Budden couldn’t hold onto the ball and Kate Mooney was there to bring DLR back into the game.
Kate Mooney scoring her 7th goal of the season yesterday.
Great anticipation from Kate to pounce on the loose ball and finish it.
🌊⚽️ pic.twitter.com/FFZzCY9byX— DLRWaves (@DLRWaves) October 16, 2022
Both sides looked threatening in getting another goal, but the score finished 2-1 to Shelbourne.
Treaty United 0-7 Athlone Town
The pressure remains at the top of the table as Athlone overcome Treaty United at Markets Field.
The two goals from Scarlett Herron and the five from Emily Corbet that secured the three points today@TreatyUnitedFC 0 - 7 @AthloneTownAFC #ATAFC #CmonTheTown pic.twitter.com/1zSc35uIwu
— Athlone Town AFC (@AthloneTownAFC) October 15, 2022
From the first minute, Athlone looked dangerous and ready for the game. On 14 minutes Athlone got their first. Scarlett Herron won the ball back close to the edge of the box, played in Gillian Keenan on the left, and Keenan found Herron again to make it 1-0.
Athlone’s second came in the 26th minute through Emily Corbet, and Corbet scored again in the 27th minute and the 36th minute to get herself a hat-trick.
The second half was no different from the first, with Athlone Town really dominating the possession and goalscoring opportunities. In the 49th minute, Herron got her second from a great corner delivery from Madison Gibson.
Corbet got her fifth goal of the game in the 50th minute after Gibson found her in a dangerous position in the box. Corbet chested the ball down and chipped it into the net.
Corbet’s fifth and Athlone’s seventh goal of the game cam with 10 minutes to go, Corbet finding space at the edge of the box and firing home in the bottom left corner.
Cork City 0-5 Peamount United
Cork had shipped 15 goals against Peamount in their previous encounters this season, losing 7-0 and 8-0 to the Dublin title chasers. But performances have improved on Leeside under Danny Murphy’s leadership and while the Peas dominated early play City held firm for 40 minutes.
Peamount created their first real chance after 11 minutes when Aine O’Gorman, fresh from international heroics in Glasgow during the week, pulled her shot wide of the City goal when she should have at least hit the target.
But it was no surprise when O’Gorman did open the scoring just five minutes before the break. Peamount pressure had been building on the home defence and a crossed ball from the left found the striker six yards out and she steered the ball effortlessly past Abby McCarthy.
There was hope for City on 57 minutes when Becky Cassin set up Christina Dring who turned her marker well but couldn’t quite get her shot on target. But Peamount soon asserted themselves again, O’Gorman neatly tucking in a second in the 71st minute.
City fell apart after this and further goals followed from Stephanie Roche on 73 minutes, Alannah McEvoy nine minutes from time, and finally from young substitute Jess Fitzgerald in the third minute of added time.
Bohemians 1-2 Galway WFC
Bohemians and Galway WFC played out a scrappy and scoreless opening half at Dalymount Park on Saturday evening. Galway had a decent chance after eight minutes when the Bohemians goal opened up for Aoibheann Costello but her shot was straight at the home keeper Rachael Kelly.
After 25 minutes Galway’s American defender Bryce Reynolds almost put the ball into her own net, directing the ball off her own post following one of a string of Bohemians corners.
Soon after the restart Jenna Slattery hit the Bohs crossbar with a speculative, looping free kick but it would be the home side that would break the deadlock just before the hour mark. When Galway only half cleared a corner Katie Lovely was on hand to hook the ball over Abbiegayle Ronayne and into the Galway net.
With just 15 minutes remaining Bohemians seemed comfortable but a deft ball, played right through the centre, released Elle O’Flaherty and she kept her cool to slip past Kelly and finish into an empty Bohs net. Just a few minutes later Galway completed the turnaround when Jenna Slattery drilled home a penalty to send her team back home with all three points.
