Cork defeated by second-half surge
LADIES SOCCER
Daire Walsh
Peamount United 3
Cork City WFC 1
THERE was disappointment for Cork City WFC at Greenogue on Saturday, when they suffered a two-goal away defeat at the hands of Peamount in the Continental Tyres Women’s National League.
After a well-worked Danielle Sheehy goal, Frank Kelleher’s charges held a slender advantage at the end of the opening period. However, sharp finishes by Amber Barrett (two) and Claire Kinsella after the break ensured that Peamount claimed all three points.
Following consecutive defeats to Shelbourne Ladies, Galway WFC and UCD Waves, the visitors were hoping to get off the mark here.
Indeed, the Leesiders enjoyed a bright start, as Sheehy forced a fine save from Peamount netminder Brooke Dunne, via excellent build-up play by midfielder Katie McCarthy.
The impressive Saoirse Noonan (who recently made her senior international debut for Ireland) was also proving a handful for the Peamount defence, but Cork breathed a sigh of relief when a Roma McLaughlin effort from an awkward angle rebounded off the top of the crossbar.
Both sides were enjoying good spells of possession, but it was City who broke the deadlock on 17 minutes. A long-delivery into the Peamount area was chested down by Noonan, and after receiving a neat pass from the winger, Sheehy fired beyond the reach of Dunne.
This was a very encouraging opening to the contest for Cork, and Noonan was agonisingly wide of the mark four minutes later, when she met a cross by full-back Shannon Carson with a firm header.
McCarthy was also marginally off-target, but even though they found it difficult to make headway in midfield, Peamount were always dangerous when they forced their way into the Cork half. City custodian Amy O’Reilly turned away a curling shot by Sarah McKevitt, before the post came to the rescue 32 minutes in, when Barrett got on the end of a Kinsella through ball.
A Peamount goal would arguably have been against the run of the play at this juncture though, and Noonan was close to doubling Cork’s lead three minutes prior to the interval.
City would have been pleased to bring a 1-0 advantage into the second-half, however, and they kept the Peamount back-four on their toes when the action resumed. A goal-bound Lauren Homan attempt was blocked by the home team, while the ever-influential Noonan curled a shot past the right-hand post from distance.
The introduction of Niamh Farrelly and Heather Payne did offer a fresh approach to the Peamount side, and O’Reilly produced an outstanding save from Barrett just after the hour mark. O’Reilly also gathered a Tiegan Ruddy free-kick, but parity was restored to the tie in the 71st-minute.
McKevitt cut inside from the left, and her subsequent cross was flicked home by the alert Barrett. The goal was a major tonic for the hosts, who moved into the ascendancy in swift fashion.
Kinsella created space for herself after 71 minutes, and finished clinically past O’Reilly off her right foot. Ciara Desmond was brought on by Cork in an attempt to swing the pendulum back in their favour, but Barrett effectively placed the outcome beyond doubt with 10 minutes left with a neat strike into the bottom corner of the net.
An unfortunate collision seven minutes from time meant that O’Reilly was replaced in goal by outfield sub Maggie Duncliffe and she did well.
As they aimed to set-up a grandstand finale, Cork were desperately unlucky to see a Sheehy drive hit the side-netting, but Peamount’s cushion proved to be insurmountable.
PEAMOUNT UNITED: Brooke Dunne; Lauryn O’Callaghan, Louise Corrigan, Tiegan Ruddy, Rachel Doyle (Megan Lynch 86); Lucy McCarton (Niamh Farrelly half-time), Roma McLaughlin; Claire Kinsella, Lisa Casserly (Heather Payne 55), Sarah McKevitt; Amber Barrett.
CORK CITY WFC: Amy O’Reilly (Maggie Duncliffe 83); Shannon Carson, Marie Curtin, Zoe Murphy, Natalie O’Brien; Evelyn Daly, Megan Kelleher (Tara O’Gorman 89); Lauren Homan, Katie McCarthy (Ciara Desmond 79), Saoirse Noonan; Danielle Sheehy.
Referee: Deirdre Nolan (Dublin).