- Paul Corcoran
- Sat, Mar 05 2022
Shelbourne made the perfect start to their WNL title defence with a 1-0 win over Bohemians at Tolka Park on Saturday afternoon.
It was a hard-fought victory with neither side readily yielding to each other but a moment of quality late in the second half from Shelbourne’s captain pearl Slattery meant the Reds came away with the three points.
The champions had just one debutant in their starting line-up for their opening game of the season with Megan Smyth-Lynch starting, having signed for the Reds from Peamount United during the winter.
Sean Byrne had no less than six new signings in his starting team with Rachael Kelly, Fiona Ryan, Katie Burdis, Danielle Murray, Kira Bates-Crosbie and Sinead Taylor all made their debuts for the Gypsies on Saturday.
Jessie Stapleton went close in the opening five minutes when she was set free in front of the Bohs goal, her lobbed effort clipped the crossbar and came back though, falling to Jess Ziu who flicked the ball forward against to Stapleton, but the flag went up for offside spurning a perfect chance for the home side to take the lead.
In the ninth minute Megan Smyth-Lynch had a pop from the edge of the box with a lobbed volley – her effort was too tame, and Bohemians’ new goalkeeper Rachael Kelly took the ball into her hands easily.
Kelly was in action five minutes later when Smyth-Lynch floated a lovely cross into the box from the right flank, Pearl Slattery met the ball with her head right in front of goal, but Bohs’ shot stopper reacted quickly to dive low to deflect the ball away to safety.
Bohemians had their first chance with 34 minutes gone when Kira Bates-Crosbie played a high ball over the shoulder of Sinead Taylor, the striker was under intense pressure from Shauna Fox and opted the strike the ball on goal with her knee as it fell but she failed to prevent it tipping over the crossbar.
Danielle Murray fancied her chances a minute later from near halfway on the right flank with a lofted effort high to test Amanda Budden, the ball struck the top of the woodwork and fell safely away from danger as the Gypsies began testing the home side more.
The second half saw more of the same with few clear chances for either side, Bohs had a claim for the ball going over the line in the 65th minute when a Katie Burdis corner-kick was claimed by Amanda Budden.
The visitors claimed that the goalkeeper put the ball over the line – although it looked more like she was pushed over the line and referee Daniel Murphy ignored their pleas for a goal.
A worry for Noel King’s side minutes later with last year’s Golden Glove winner Amanda Budden going off injured and being replaced by the returning Amanda McQuillan.
The champions had to keep plugging away however and with twenty minutes to go, Shelbourne managed to get forward and Ziu was set up for a header at close range, but the midfielder flashed the ball inches wide of Kelly’s goal.
Shels found the lead courtesy of their captain in the 75th minute. Noelle Murray floated a high ball in from a corner-kick and Slattery rose highest in a packed Bohemians box to nod the ball past Rachael Kelly.
Murray came close to doubling the lead in the 84th minute with a free-kick from a dangerous position, the forward struck the ball well and just clipped the underside of the crossbar, with Bohs managing to scramble the ball away quickly.
Shelbourne FC: Amanda Budden(Amanda McQuillan 69); Jessie Stapleton, Pearl Slattery, Chloe Mustaki, Jessica Gargan, Shauna Fox; Megan Smyth-Lynch (Gloria Douglas 62), Alex Kavanagh (Abbie Larkin 62), Rachel Graham,Jessica Ziu (Jemma Quinn, 90); Noelle Murray.
Subs not used: Keeva Keenan, Leah F Doyle, Taylor White, Aoife Kelly, Lia O'Leary .
Booked: None.
Sent off: None.
Bohemians WFC: Rachael Kelly; Fiona Ryan (Ann Marie Byrne 58), Isobel Finnegan, Katie Burdis, Abbie Brophy; Danielle Murray, Lisa Murphy, Chloe Darby, Kira Bates-Crosbie; Sinead Taylor, Erica Burke.
Subs not used: Courtney Maguire, Katie Lovely, Ciara Maher, Isabella Chambers, Bronagh Kane, Hannah Tobin-Jones, Abbie O'Hara.
Booked: None.
Sent off: None.
Referee: Daniel Murphy.
extratime.com Player of the Match: Noelle Murray (Shelbourne)
