DLR Waves 1 - 6 Raheny United

Raheny United showed DLR Waves how hard life in the Womens’ National League can be today with a 6-1 thumping in Jackson Park.

Playing in their first-ever competitive match, the Waves went down to three early goals. Rebecca Creagh opened the scoring within thirty seconds for Raheny, with Noelle Murray and Shauna Newman both finding the net before the match was in its fifteenth minute.

Another goal for the stellar Creagh followed nine minutes into the second half. Elaine Murray and Shauna Newman added further to the Northsiders’ tally before DLR captain Sylvia Gee scored their very first goal with four minutes left.

Most people in Jackson Park were still finding somewhere to watch the match when Raheny first scored. Ger McDermott’s surged up the pitch straight away from the kick-off, working the ball around to leave Creagh with an easy finish.

Raheny – a side with strong title credentials on today’s evidence – were in a clinical mood today, with new signing Noelle Murray particularly impressive.

The ex-Rovers striker scored a debut goal after 11 minutes, slipping the ball past DLR ‘keeper Amy Devereaux after Caroline Thorpe threaded a pinpoint through ball to split the Waves defence in two.

Just as the Tall Ships sailed away in the distance, any lingering hopes of a comeback departed when Shauna Newman made it 3-0 after 14 minutes. Newman didn’t mean to score, but Devereaux spilled her cross  from deep – allowing it to bobble over the line.

DLR Waves still battled away despite the fifteen-minute Raheny blitz, and enjoyed some decent spells of possession in the first half. They always looked a bit vulnerable at the back, particularly when one of the trio of Thorpe, Murray or Creagh got the ball.

They opened the second half well, pressing the visitors higher up the pitch. But there was only really one side who looked like scoring – and it was United who did so again through Creagh on 54 minutes.

This time Deveraux had absolutely no chance to prevent the goal, as Creagh’s free-kick from 25 yards flew in past the DLR ‘keeper. Raheny played a clever ball retention game, which led to two further goals.

Elaine Murray had made several marauding runs from full-back and it was one such run which yielded the fifth goal. She finished powerfully after the run into the box, giving further proof –as if it were needed – of Raheny’s dominance.

Rachel Graham was another Raheny player who had an outstanding match, and her 71st minute goal was certainly warranted. Taking her turn on free-kick duty, Graham’s strike sailed in past Deveraux.

Despite being 6-0 down, DLR Waves persisted and Sylvia Gee’s 86th minute consolation goal was no more than they deserved. Substitute Erinne Murphy did most of the hard work in making space for Gee before laying the ball off. The DLR captain struck the ball sweetly from the edge of the box, in what was probably the pick of the day’s goals.

DLR Waves: Amy Devereux; Lisa Moran, Louise Kearney, Aine O’Reilly [Erinne Murphy. ‘70], Sylvia Gee; Niamh Connolly [Ciara Noble, ‘HT], Lucia Espana de Cordoba, Marie Gallagher, Laura O’Neill; Geraldine Norton, Laura Daniel.
Subs Not Used: Tanya McDonald, Lorraine O’Sullivan.

Raheny United: Niamh Reid Burke; Shauna Newman [Laura Ryan, ‘60], Elaine Murray, Megan Campbell, Niamh Walsh; Kate McKeever, Rebecca Creagh, Rachel Graham, Caroline Thorpe; Katie McCabe, Noelle Murray. 
Subs Not Used: Sinead O’Farrelly, Emma Merrigan, Siobhan Killeen, Catherine Cronin.

Attendance: 50 (unofficial estimate)

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Rebecca Creagh.