Wexford win first ever FAI Women’s Cup final on penalties

Shelbourne 2 Wexford Youths 2 (After extra-timeWexford won 4-2 on penalties)

Substitute goalkeeper Tamara Furlong proved to be the penalty shoot-out hero on Sunday as Wexford Youths lifted their first-ever FAI Women's Cup to deny Shelbourne their four-in-a-row of national trophies.

Having replaced the injured Marie-Rose Kelly on the half hour, Furlong was helpless to prevent Shels netting twice in a thrilling finale at Lansdowne Road but, in the penalties that followed, she stopped the first attempt by Noelle Murray.

The player-of-the-match wasn’t the only Shels player to miss, as Shauna Newman’s last spot-kick spot-kick struck the post, but Wexford’s perfect record from four attempts settled the contest and completed a remarkable double for the team from the south-east.

It was only after 55 minutes of a final played beneath incessant rain that it gained momentum when Siobhan Killeen fired the Dubliners ahead.

Although league champions Wexford forced extra-time deep into stoppage-time through Ciara Rossiter before Maria Delahunty volleyed them into a 2-1 lead, penalties were required after Shels substitute Dearbhaile Beirne levelled with the last kick of the contest.

“I was surprised to be called into action but was delighted my chance came,” said an ecstatic Furlong afterwards. “Both teams had their chances to win and I’m just glad all four of our penalty-takers scored.”

Following an uneventful first-half, during which Wexford played on the counter-attack, the deadlock was broken with a brilliant cameo from Killeen. The Ireland international cut in from the left past Nicola Sinnott into her favoured right foot and beat Furlong with an exquisite lob.

After Ciara O’Riordan and Carol Breen spurned glorious chances to equalise, it was defender Rossiter who finally found it. She bundled the ball over the line after Breen’s effort has rebounded off the crossbar.

Wexford carried confidence into extra time, with Rianna Jarrett forcing Niamh Reid-Burke to tip around the post in the second period.

Inevitable though it was, Wexford’s second goal was controversial as Reid-Burke claimed she was fouled by O’Riordan as a corner dropped straight for substitute Delahunty to volley home from 10 yards.

Conceding five minutes from the death might have rattled Shels but they summoned one last attack which yielded their second goal.

Keeva Keenan’s cross in the final minute allowed Jamie Finn strike the crossbar from a header and, from the rebound, Rebecca Creagh found substitute Beirne to turn the ball in from close range.

That wouldn’t be the end of the drama, as Shels were soon devastated to see their ambitions of retaining the trophy dashed, in part by Furlong’s heroics.

Shelbourne: N Reid-Burke; K Keenan, P Slattery, J Finn, N Walsh; S Killeen (D Beirne 85), S Newman, R Creagh, R Graham (L Dwyer 68), G Murray (Rowe 59); N Murray.

Wexford Youths: M-R Kelly (T Furlong 33); N Sinnott, R Fahy, E Kennedy, C Rossiter; L Douglas (M Delahunty 61), K Murphy, E Hansberry, A Frawley (R Jarrett 72); C Breen; C O'Riordan.

Referee: P Brady (Dublin).