Bohemians 3 Cork City 4

LAURA Shine grabbed a brace of goals off the bench in north Dublin on Saturday afternoon to give Cork City their first win of the 2020 Women’s National League season.

Following earlier defeats to Metropolitan duo Shelbourne and Peamount United, Rónán Collins’ side were eager to get one over on WNL newcomers Bohemians. Despite seeing their two-goal interval lead wiped out within nine minutes of the restart, the introduction of Shine got the Leesiders back on track and they ultimately edged a seven-goal thriller.

Operating on the left-wing with a license to roam infield, Saoirse Noonan was the main creative influence for City during the early moments of the contest. Indeed, it was her knockdown off a Sophie Liston cross that enabled Lauren Egbuloniu to secure a breakthrough goal on 22 minutes.

Bohs netminder Rugile Auskalnyte was subsequently forced off through injury and her replacement – Courtney Maguire – was powerless to prevent Christina Dring doubling the City lead moments later. This close-range finish left the visitors in pole position for a morale-boosting victory, but Bohs emerged from the dressing rooms as a rejuvenated force.

With virtually her first touch of the game, half-time substitute Aoife Robinson turned home an Abbie Brophy delivery. There was to be a further setback for City on 54 minutes, when Alannah Maxwell shook the net after Maria O’Sullivan had saved an initial effort by Ally Cahill.

Having found themselves in the driving seat at the break, City were now in danger of losing out on some vital points. However, this was the cue for Shine to announce herself on the big stage.

A debutant in the recent reversal to Peamount, the Republic of Ireland underage international wriggled her way into the box with 16 minutes left and squeezed a low shot to the Bohs net. This represented Shine’s first goal in senior football and she crucially doubled her tally after a Liston strike had rebounded off the woodwork.

Bohs winger Maxwell did respond with her second of the game deep into stoppage-time, but it wasn’t enough to deny City their maiden triumph of the campaign.

BOHEMIANS: Rugile Auskalnyte (Courtney Maguire 24); Sinead O’Farrelly, Chloe Flynn, Katie Lovely, Ciara Mulligan (Chelsee Snell 46); Shaunagh Newman, Niamh Kenna (Aoife Robinson 46); Abbie Brophy, Chloe Darby (Robyn Bolger 79), Alannah Maxwell; Ally Cahill.

CORK CITY: Maria O’Sullivan; Zara Foley, Ciaran McNamara, Danielle Burke, Nathalie O’Brien (Shaunagh McCarthy 79); Eabha O’Mahony, Becky Cassin (Jesse Mendez 91); Sophie Liston, Christina Dring (Nadine Seward 79), Saoirse Noonan (Leah Murphy 91); Lauren Egbuloniu (Laura Shine 72).

Referee: Paula Brady (Dublin).