Peamount blitz Cork to lift FAI cup
PEAMOUNT UNITED 6
CORK CITY 0
By Daire Walsh
Following the heartbreak of final defeats in the past two years, Peamount United regained the FAI Women’s Cup in spectacular fashion with a crushing 6-0 defeat of Cork City at the Tallaght Stadium on Saturday.
All square at the break, a brace of Stephanie Roche goals opened the floodgates for Peamount on the resumption.
Aine O’Gorman, Karen Duggan, Rebecca Watkins and Tiegan Ruddy got in on the scoring act during the final-quarter as James O’Callaghan’s charges completed a league and cup double in style.
Chances were few and far between early on, with Cork successfully cutting off the supply line to the Peamount attack.
However, a Roche pull-back on 26 minutes did release O’Gorman inside the area and her left-footed drive drifted agonisingly past the target.
O’Gorman’s influence was growing as the action progressed and she linked up to good effect with Roche on a number of occasions.
Peamount continued to threaten for a breakthrough goal as the interval approached, but the sides were ultimately inseparable at the midway point.
Things changed dramatically in the second half, however, with Roche fired past Cork netminder Maria O’Sullivan within 60 seconds of the restart.
This was the star striker’s seventh goal of the season and she increased Peamount’s lead on 52 minutes after Alannah McEvoy had toiled to good effect inside the area.
The Greenogue women did breathe a sigh of relief five minutes later, when Christina Dring dragged a close-range shot past the target.
Peamount were far more ruthless with the opportunities that fell their way and O’Gorman put the tie beyond doubt with a smooth finish on 76 minutes.
Duggan later headed a set-piece to the net, before substitutes Watkins and Ruddy also fired home to round off an emphatic victory for the jubilant Peamount United.