Peamount deliver in the second half to advance in FAI Cup against Treaty
Daire Walsh
Defending champions Peamount United produced a strong second half display at Market’s Field this afternoon to ultimately secure a 2-0 victory at the expense of Treaty United in the FAI Women’s Cup quarter-final.
Akin to their league meeting in the same venue at the beginning of this season, the Newcastle club initially found it difficult to break down their Limerick counterparts.
However, Tiegan Ruddy eventually broke the hosts’ resistance two minutes into the second half and the Peas held a firm grip on the contest from that point onwards.
Right-back Lauryn O’Callaghan subsequently added a second goal to give the Greenogue outfit additional leeway on the scoreboard.
Having defeated Cork City in clinical style in last December’s Cup decider at the Tallaght Stadium, Peamount are hell-bent on holding onto their crown in 2021.
A three consecutive Women’s National League title is also within their sights, but the importance of this game couldn’t be underestimated.
Of course, James O’Callaghan’s charges took to the field without their top-scorer Eleanor Ryan-Doyle. In recent days, the Lucan star sealed a move to Women’s Super League outfit Birmingham City.
The versatile Lucy McCartan was also marked absent for this encounter as she was lining out for her native Westmeath against Wexford in the All-Ireland intermediate ladies football championship showpiece at Croke Park.
Still, the Peamount squad remains an impressively-assembled one and the visitors were desperately unfortunate not to take the lead in the sixth-minute of the action. From a distance of 35 yards, Deirbhile Beirne smashed the Treaty crossbar with a thunderous drive.
Aine O’Gorman and Stephanie Roche were also close to breaking the deadlock, but it proved to be a scoreless opening period. It seemed like only a matter of time before Peamount’s persistence paid off, however, and Ruddy’s header after the resumption finally created some daylight between the sides.
Despite now being in the driving seat, Peamount continued to search for a second goal to effectively place the outcome beyond doubt. This insurance score arrived on 68 minutes when O’Callaghan fired home after the ball broke to her just outside the area.