WNL Report: UCD Waves 5 - 3 Peamount United

Fans were treated to an eight goal thriller at Jackson Park as UCD Waves ran out 5-3 victors against a determined Peamount United side, who came into the game on the back of consecutive victories on the road against Castlebar Celtic and Cork City Women.

In a game that started at a frantic pace, Peamount had the game’s first opportunity when Clare Kinsella forced a great save from Monica McGuirk. The Peas skipper latched onto Amber Barrett’s cross, however, McGuirk saved her headed effort well.

With 20 minutes on the clock, and with a substantial amount of pressure on the home defence, Peamount took a deserved lead when Kinsella appeared to knee the ball home at the back post from a Rachel Doyle free-kick.

After falling behind, the host began to find their feet in the game and Aine O’Gorman forced a brilliant save from Brooke Dunne after she raced onto a ball over the top before striking first time.

Moments later, the Waves equalised, a corner from O’Gorman was volleyed towards goal by Catherine Cronin and Peas shot-stopper failed to hold possession with the ball spilling into the net.

Less than ten minutes later, Waves took the lead after a lovely pass from Karen Duggan in the centre of the park found O’Gorman down the right wing and her cross was parried by Dunne before Cronin fired home her second goal from close range.

After falling behind for the first time, thing almost went from bad to worse for Peamount. A Chloe Mustaki free-kick was directed towards goal by Doyle, however, Dunne pulled off a fantastic low stop to save her teammates blushes.

As half-time fast approached, the visitors were given an opportunity to equalise when they were awarded a spot kick after referee Deirdre Nolan adjudged a defender to have handled the ball inside the penalty area. Amber Barrett duly slotted home the spot kick to send her side into the break level at 2-2.

With chances on goal limited during the opening period of the second-half, Waves capitalized on an error in the Peamount defence to retake the lead. A kick out from Dunne appeared to chested back towards goal and O’Gorman raced onto possession before firing low past the onrushing shot-stopper.

Soon after retaking the lead for the second time, UCD doubled their advantage from the penalty spot despite Dunne guessing the correct way, she could not prevent O’Gorman’s lovely strike from finding the back of the net.

Moments later, Waves a brilliant chance to further extend their lead, a lovely cross from Mustaki found Eleanor Ryan Doyle, whose cushion header found O’Gorman, who then laid the ball back to Doyle, but her close range effort was cleared off the line by the Peas defence.

Despite falling two goals behind, Peamount continued to show their fighting spirit and pulled a goal back after a low free-kick from Barrett was well saved by McGuirk before the ball cannoned off a defender and Kinsella was on hand to blast home from close range.

With less than five minutes remaining, UCD wrapped up all three points after some ingenuity from Orlagh Nolan, who dinked a dangerous free-kick over the wall to Caroline Thorpe before the ball fell to Niamh Prior to fire home and seal the victory.

UCD Waves: Monica McGuirk; Ali Brien, Emily Cahill, Susan Hackett Niamh Prior; Catherine Cronin (Caroline Thorpe 65), Karen Duggan, Chloe Mustaki, Eleanor Ryan Doyle (Ruth Comerford 83), Orlagh Nolan; Aine O’Gorman.

Subs Not Used: Susan Byrne, Ciara Grant, Sarah Clune, Amy McLoughlan.

Booked: Duggan (47).

Sent Off: None.

Peamount United: Brooke Dunne; Lauryn O’Callaghan (Emma Donohue 87), Lauren Kealy, Louise Corrigan, Rachel Doyle; Sarah McKevitt (Danni Murray 66), Lucy McCartan, Emma Byrne, Roma McLaughlin Clare Kinsella; Amber Barrett.

Subs Not Used: Naoisha McAloon (gk), Izzy Finnegan, Michelle Dunne, Chloe Murray, Aoife Maloney.

Booked: Kealy (61), Barrett (90).

Sent off: Kealy (82).

Referee: Deirdre Nolan.

Attendance: 70 (estimate).

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Aine O’Gorman (UCD Waves).