Mia Dodd free gives DLR Waves win over Danny Murphy’s Cork City
City battled hard and showed signs of promise but fell to their 17th defeat of a tough campaign
MIA Dodd’s opening half free-kick was the difference at the UCD Bowl on Saturday as Cork City fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of DLR Waves in the Women’s National League.
This result represents a 17th defeat of the campaign for the Leesiders and while there were signs of encouragement in their performance, Danny Murphy’s side remain ninth in the WNL table.
The City starting line-up for this game showed two changes from the previous weekend’s thrilling 3-2 victory against Sligo Rovers. Ciara McNamara and Lauren Singleton were drafted into the side with Zara Foley and Aoibhín Donnelly the players to make way.
DLR were hoping to bounce back from a heavy reversal to Wexford Youths seven days earlier and looked towards netminder Eve Badana to keep her former side at bay. Laura Shine had sight of the target on 13 minutes, but Badana was equal to her close-range effort.
Clear-cut opportunities were few and far between otherwise in a cagey opening with both teams trying to work their way into the contest. DLR sought to test Abby McCarthy’s capabilities under the high ball, but the City custodian was standing up to the challenge.
There was no sign of the deadlock being broken until the hosts eventually hit the front on the stroke of the half-hour mark. After Kate Mooney was fouled right on the edge of the penalty box, Dodd superbly drilled the resulting set-piece to the bottom left-hand corner.
Given how well they had limited the DLR attack up to that point, this was a significant blow for City. That said, McCarthy did ensure their deficit remained at 1-0 with an excellent penalty save from Mooney deep into first-half stoppage-time.
McCarthy also thwarted Mooney from a tight angle on the resumption and McKevitt also had a pot shot on her goal that drifted marginally over the crossbar.
City introduced Orlaith Deasy and Ellie O’Brien as a double substitution in the third quarter and they helped to keep DLR on the back-foot for an extended spell. Badana was almost caught out from an awkward delivery into the area before clawing the ball away to safety and the Republic of Ireland international later saved a long-distance drive from Eva Mangan.
Yet DLR maintained a constant threat and McKevitt smashed the opposition bar with a powerful free-kick inside the closing 20 minutes. City did pile on the pressure during the closing stages – substitute Chloe Atkinson headed against the woodwork prior to the offside flag being raised – but couldn’t force their way through for an equaliser in south Dublin.
Eve Badana; Aoife Brophy, Mia Dodd, Louise Corrigan, Nicole Keogh (Lynn Craven 46); Fiona Donnelly (Kerri Letmon 64), Sophie Watters; Sarah McKevitt, Avril Brierley (Carla McManus 75), Katie Malone; Kate Mooney.
Abby McCarthy; Lauren Walsh, Danielle Burke, Ciara McNamara; Nadine Seward (Chloe Atkinson 71), Becky Cassin, Eva Mangan, Heidi Mackin (Orlaith Deasy 54); Christina Dring; Lauren Singleton (Ellie O’Brien 54), Laura Shine.
Sean Stephens.