Women's National League Final Day Preview

The final day of the Women's National League is upon us and Raheny United know a win will seal their first title. Peamount United will be doing all they can to ensure they get maximum points from their game against Cork and hope that Wexford can take points from the North Dubliners.

If the teams are level on points at the end of the day, a play-off will decide who will win the Bus Eireann Women's National League title.

Cork Women’s Football Club v Peamount United

Peamount United manager Eileen Gleeson won’t pay any attention to what is happening at Morton Stadium today until the final whistle blows at Turner’s Cross.

 “If we don’t do our job and beat Cork then what happens in Morton Stadium won’t matter. We have to maintain our focus on the pitch and not worry about what is happening elsewhere because we can’t control that. We going out to get a win and hope that results elsewhere fall for us,” said Gleeson.

Peamount have a full strength squad to pick from while Cork Women’s FC will be without the suspended Angie Carry and Irish international Denise O’Sullivan faces a pre-match fitness test. With DLR Waves having completed their season there is an incentive for Cork to win because the three points would lift them over the South Dublin club and into fifth place.

“It’s a big incentive,” says Cork’s Chris O’Mahony, “and that plus beating Peamount for the first time would be a great way to end the season.”

Raheny United v Wexford Youths Women’s AFC

Raheny United stand on the cusp of their first Bus Éireann Women’s National League title and are in control of their own destiny something manager Sean Byrne acknowledges is a definite advantage.

The mood in the Raheny camp has been dampened somewhat this week by their exit last Monday from the League Cup at the hands of Castlebar but Byrne reckons the memory will only serve to drive his side on this Sunday.

“They are disappointed but hopefully the result on Sunday will make up for that. They have been brilliant to work with and take everything on board. They are up for every training session and need very little motivation. The senior players like Mary Waldron and Caroline Thorpe have been great and we won’t need to say much to them on Sunday,” said Byrne whose only doubts are Kate McKeever, Noelle Murray and Niamh Walsh.

With the exception of long-term injury casualty Rhianna Jarrett, Wexford are at full strength, and travel to Dublin knowing that although they have secured third spot they want to finish the season on a winning note. “We want to finish on a high and we are not going to make up the numbers. We understand there is a level of pressure on us to perform because of what is at stake,” said Wexford’s Peter Doyle.

Shamrock Rovers v Castlebar Celtic

Shamrock Rovers will be hoping to end the season by picking up their second win of the campaign but they face a Castlebar Celtic side that upset the form book last Monday when they beat Raheny United to reach the League Cup final where they will face Peamount United in Milebush Park, Castlebar, on Sunday week.

Castlebar are assured of fourth place in the League but manager Johnny Morris Burke is looking for his players to kick on from last Monday’s win. “With a final in Castlebar to come next week I am hoping that we see people going out on Sunday determined to hold on to their places in the team,” said Morris Burke who hopes to have Emma Mullen fit again..