Continental Tyres Women's National League Round Up - Series 12

There were wins for UCD Waves, Wexford Youths and Shelbourne in this week's series of Women's National League games.

Galway WFC 0-3 UCD Waves

The sides clashed for the second time in four days at Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday evening and it was the visitors who emerged victorious thanks to goals from Karen Duggan, Aine O’Gorman and Eleanor Ryan Doyle.

The visitors opened the scoring after just 13 minutes when Duggan collected a throw in from Niamh Prior just inside the Galway half, before setting off on a brilliant run towards goal and curling a low right footed effort past Tina Hughes from the edge of the box.

UCD doubled their lead six minutes after half-time when Julie Ann Russell cut in from the right before being brought down by Meabh De Burca 30 yards from goal. From the resulting free-kick O’Gorman’s strike sailed over the head of Hughes and into the Galway goal.

With 16 minutes remaining Waves secured all three points as O’Gorman found Ryan Doyle on the edge of the box and her shot was palmed into the net by the Galway net-minder.

Shelbourne Ladies 4-1 Peamount United

Shelbourne ladies returned to winning ways after last weekend’s defeat to Galway WFC and the disappointment of Wednesday’s re-arranged game with Wexford being abandoned due to floodlight failure.

Playing with the aid of a strong breeze, Shelbourne took the lead after just three minutes when Rebecca Creagh’s looping effort sailed over Brooke Dunne to send the hosts into an early lead.

Shels extended their lead in the 25th minute when Creagh again found herself in the thick of the action, this time she headed home a cross from Siobhan Killeen for her second of the game.

Just three minutes later, the hosts grabbed their third of the game when Lauren Kealy’s mishit clearance from a Noelle Murray cross sailed past a helpless Dunne to give Shels a 3-0 lead.

As half-time fast approached, Murray grabbed a fourth goal for Shels when she calmly slotted home with a low left footed effort from inside the penalty area.

With 25 minutes remaining Peamount pulled a goal back when Amber Barrett raced through one-on-one with the onrushing Amanda McQuillan and she slotted home, past the recently crowned under 17’s International Player of the Year to give United what turned out to be a consolation goal.

Cork City Women 0-4 Wexford Youths

Wexford Youths moved to within three points of league leaders UCD Waves thanks to a comfortable 4-0 victory at Bishopstown on Sunday afternoon. Youths went into the clash with a Cork side who were seeking a third consecutive win, hoping to return to winning ways after their game on Wednesday evening with Shelbourne was abandoned with Youths leading 2-1.

Edel Kennedy opened the scoring for Youths after five minutes when her looping effort from the edge of the box sailed over the head of Trish Fennelly. Youths doubled their advantage with half-time approaching, as Claire O’Riordan raced through one-on-one with Fennelly, who saved her initial effort before the forward fired the rebound into the empty Cork net.

With 25 minutes remaining, Youths grabbed their third goal of the game when Kennedy reacted quickest to a mix up in the Cork defence to grab her second of the game.

Seven minutes later, Kennedy completed her hat-trick after her strike from the edge of the box, and despite Fennelly getting a hand to the shot, the keeper could not prevent the Youths midfielder from grabbing her fifth goal in her last four games.

Kilkenny United P-P Castlebar Celtic