- Ben Blake
- Sun, Feb 05 2012
Raheny overtook Peamount United at the top of the Women's National League with a 2-0 win in the Dublin derby at Greenogue on Sunday.
After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, Seana Cooke was on target early in the second half and Rebecca Creagh scored from the spot to hand Derek Cooke’s side a huge victory.
The visitors started the game on the front foot and from the tip-off strung a couple of passes together which resulted in Siobhan Killeen getting away down the left flank.
The winger tried her luck from an acute angle but could only find the side netting.
Peamount’s first decent chance arrived nine minutes in when Sara Lawlor played a short ball to Stephanie Roche, whose effort was closed down.
Lawlor was quickest to the loose ball but Raheny keeper Lynn Bradley did tremendously to get her body behind a vital block.
Bradley had to be at her best moments later when midfielder Louise Quinn whipped a ball into Jenny Ferrari, and a collision with team-mate Kate Flood forced a short stoppage in the action.
Roche and Caroline Thorpe had half-chances for the home side while Creagh was inches away from connecting with Killeen’s inviting cross before the whistle went to signal the halfway point.
Two minutes after the restart, Raheny had the ball in the back of the net. A free-kick out wide was delivered into the danger zone and eventually fell to Cooke, who smashed it home from five yards out.
They were very nearly gifted a second ten minutes later when Melissa Haughton played a sloppy pass across her own goal and striker Mary Waldron reacted first to shoot on sight. Meehan made herself big to pull off a top class save, however.
With 23 minutes remaining on the clock, Raheny were handed the perfect opportunity to double their advantage.
Katie McCabe’s probing run brought a late challenge from Haughton, and a penalty was rightfully rewarded. Creagh duly dispatched.
Instead of witnessing Peamount pile on the pressure in search of a goal, it was their opponents who looked the likeliest to furthering their tally.
Roche did have a cracking strike tipped around the post by Bradley before the end, but Raheny recorded their second win this season over their biggest rivals to take a one point lead at the summit of the table.
Peamount United: Linda Meehan, Stacey McGlone, Melissa Haughton, Karen Duggan, Susan Byrne, Louise Quinn, Dora Gorman, Jenny Critchley, Caroline Thorpe (Chloe Mustaki, 74), Stephanie Roche, Sara Lawlor (Claire Kinsella, 89).
Raheny United: Lynn Bradley, Elaine Murray, Kate Flood (Megan Campbell, 20), Seana Cooke, Christina Byrne, Becky Walsh, Mary Waldron, Ciara Grant, Rachael Graham, Rebecca Creagh, Siobhan Killeen.
