- Cahal McAuley
- Sat, Sep 11 2021
Cahal McAuley reports from the Oscar Traynor Centre
Bohemians ran out as 2-0 winners against Cork City courtesy of second half goals from Erica Burke and Lisa Murphy at the Oscar Traynor centre on Saturday afternoon in the Women’s National League.
Bohs started the game on top, exerting pressure down the wings with Abbie Brophy looking particularly dangerous in the opening minutes.
The first chance of the game fell to Sophie Watters as she got on the end of a deep cross from Niamh Kenna, but Watters could only prod the ball at Cork keeper Abby McCarthy who did well to make herself big and keep the game scoreless.
The Gypsies continued to dominate but couldn’t fashion any further clear-cut chances in the half bar Lisa Murphy who scraped the top of the crossbar with a free kick 15 minutes before the break.
The Leesiders were extremely sloppy in possession and couldn’t trouble the Bohs defence until the closing minutes of the first half when Christina Dring came close with a header from a dangerous free kick by Nathalie O’Brien.
Cork put together a couple more dangerous attacks, but the sides went in level at half-time.
After an uneventful first half, the game burst into life after the interval as Erica Burke won her side a penalty and coolly slotted it past McCarthy to give Bohs a 1-0 lead after 50 minutes.
Cork had a penalty of their own seconds later as Yvonne Hedigan handled the ball inside her own box, but Becky Cassin could not match the earlier feat of Burke as she saw her tame penalty comfortably saved by Courtney Maguire.
Lisa Murphy almost doubled Bohs’ advantage just before the hour mark with a rasping effort that struck the crossbar, but Cork began to take control of proceedings as they hunted for an equaliser.
It was Murphy who finally put the game to bed in the 79th minute as she struck another long- distance effort that sailed over McCarthy and gave Bohs their much needed two goal cushion.
Erica Burke came close to a scoring her second of the afternoon in the closing minutes, but the game finished 2-0 giving Bohs a deserved victory against a Cork City side with just one win in their last nine in all competitions.
Bohemians WFC: Courtney Maguire; Hannah Tobin-Jones, Lisa Murphy, Yvonne Hedigan, Isobel Finnegan; Sophie Watters, Niamh Kenna (Ally Cahill 63), Chloe Darby; Bronagh Kane, Erica Burke (c), Abbie Brophy.
Subs not used: Trish Fennelly, Katie Lovely, Ciara Mulligan, Emma McGrath, Georgia Monks, Lara Phibbs.
Booked: Yvonne Hedigan (51).
Sent off: None.
Cork City FC Women: Abby McCarthy; Danielle Burke (Riona Crowley 85), Shaunagh McCarthy, Ciara McNamara, Nathalie O'Brien (Tiffany Taylor 85); Becky Cassin (c) (Lauren Singleton 71), Eva Mangan; Christina Dring, Sarah McKevitt, Leah Murphy, Laura Shine.
Subs not used: Lauren Walsh, Kate O'Donovan, Rachel O'Regan, Kirsten McCaffery, Niamh O'Donoghue.
Booked: None.
Sent off: None.
Referee: Alan Carey.
Attendance: 50 (estimate)
extratime.com Player of the Match: Lisa Murphy
