Pea’s keeping hopes alive
By Daire Walsh
PEAMOUNT United will be hoping to keep their Women’s National League title hopes alive when they welcome Wexford Youths to PRL Park in Greenogue on Saturday (kick-off 5.20pm).
When the Newcastle club suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat at the hands of defending champions Shelbourne in the same venue on July 16, their chances of reclaiming the WNL crown seemed slim at best. While James O’Callaghan’s side remain third in the table with just two games left to play, a fourth success at this grade is still very much within their grasp.
Just three points separate them from pace-setters Wexford with Shelbourne just a single point adrift of the Slaneysiders in second. Additionally, Peamount are marginally in front of Athlone Town on score difference in what is proving to be the most exciting title race in the history of the WNL.
What makes matters even more interesting is that Wexford are playing host to Shelbourne at Ferrycarrig Park on the closing weekend of the 2022 campaign. One or both of the main contenders are going to drop points in this fixture so Peamount will know that two more wins over the course of the next fortnight will present them with a realistic shot at league glory.
Their mettle will be severely tested by Wexford this weekend, but O’Callaghan’s troops come into this game in flying form. Since that heavy reversal to Shels in July, Peamount have accumulated eight wins and one draw from nine games to keep themselves in the title frame.
At Turner’s Cross last Saturday, the three-time winners sent out a statement of intent with a 5-0 demolition of Cork City.
Fresh from helping the Republic of Ireland women’s national team to reach next year’s World Cup finals with a superb play-off victory against Scotland at Hampden Park three days earlier, Aine O’Gorman bagged goals either side of the interval. Stephanie Roche was on commentary duties for that game and she found the net along with Alannah McEvoy and Jess Fitzgerald to ease Peamount towards all three points.
Before sharing the spoils with Wexford in a six-goal thriller at Ferrycarrig on May 21, the Newcastle women recorded an outstanding 4-0 victory over the south-east outfit in Greenogue on April 4. It is expected to be a much closer affair this Saturday, but Peamount will believe they are capable of coming away with maximum points once again.