Barrett’s double sinks an under-strength City side
PEAMOUNT UNITED…………………………………2
CORK CITY WFC………………………………………0
LADIES SOCCER
Daire Walsh
AN Amber Barrett double proved decisive at Greenogue on Saturday evening, when a depleted Cork City WFC side suffered their second consecutive defeat in the Continental Tyres Women’s National League.
In addition to suspended goalkeeper Amanda Budden, Cork were also without a number of players that are currently away on holidays.
Eve Badana was deputising for Budden in the Newcastle venue, and she was relieved to see an early Barrett effort drifting past her right-hand post.
Clare Shine began the game as lone striker, and after she used her strength to evade a Peamount challenge, the Irish international forced a fine save from opposition netminder Naoisha McAloon.
However, having produced a point-blank stop from an Eleanor Ryan-Doyle header, Badana was beaten on 28 minutes when Barrett scored after taking the ball around the advancing keeper.
Trailing at the break, Cork had it all to do upon the resumption, but thanks to the tactical switch of Shine to a deeper, playmaking role, they added a fresh dimension to their play.
Danielle Sheehy was marginally off-target with a curling shot from a left-hand angle, while Tara O’Gorman’s close-range attempt, 15 minutes from the end, also kept the Peamount rearguard on their toes.
Badana had earlier turned away a Megan Lynch shot and, after racing on to a precise through-ball by sub Carla McManus, Barrett was also denied by the 23-year-old shotstopper. When Kate O’Donovan replaced O’Gorman in the 78th-minute, Cork were still well in contention. Barrett continued to pose a considerable attacking threat, though, and she made certain of Peamount’s victory with a superb piledriver into the top right-hand corner of the Cork goal with three minutes of normal time remaining.
The Donegal native’s search for a hat-trick led to another outstanding Badana save, but despite playing some encouraging football during the course of the contest, City ultimately fell to their fourth reversal of the campaign.
PEAMOUNT UNITED: Naoisha McAloon; Lauryn O’Callaghan, Louise Corrigan, Chloe Moloney, Lauren Kealy; Niamh Farrelly, Emma Byrne (Niamh Barnes 90); Megan Lynch (Jade Reddy 92), Eleanor Ryan-Doyle, Clare Kinsella (Carla McManus 65); Amber Barrett.
CORK CITY WFC: Eve Badana; Courtney O’Keeffe, Megan Kelleher, Ciara McNamara, Mary Barrett; Evelyn Daly, Katie McCarthy; Danielle Burke, Tara O’Gorman (Kate O’Donovan 78), Danielle Sheehy; Clare Shine.
Referee: Natasha Valentini (Dublin).