Soccer

Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers held to draws in opening round matches of women’s top division

Peamount United open defence of their title with victory away to Cork City

Shamrock Rovers' Aine O'Gorman: she scored an 80th minute penalty to earn a draw away to DLR Waves. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Shamrock Rovers' Aine O'Gorman: she scored an 80th minute penalty to earn a draw away to DLR Waves. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Mary Hannigan
Sun Mar 10 2024 - 19:08

The opening round of matches in the new SSE Airtricity Premier Division season produced some eye-catching results, not least with two of last year’s title challengers being held to draws by teams who finished in the bottom four last time around.

Sligo Rovers came away from Tolka Park with a point after their 0-0 against Shelbourne, while Shamrock Rovers needed an 80th minute penalty from Áine O’Gorman – the 200th league goal of her career – to earn a draw away to DLR Waves who had taken a first-half lead through Michelle Doonan.

After a fine fourth place finish last season, Galway United opened their new campaign with a 2-0 win away to FAI Cup holders Athlone Town, under-19 international Eve Dossen adding to Jenna Slattery’s second-half penalty to wrap up a highly encouraging start to their season.

Peamount United opened the defence of their title with a victory by the same scoreline, current and former internationals Erin McLaughlin and Karen Duggan getting their goals away to Cork City, and it was also 2-0 for Bohemians when they visited Wexford Youths, Fiona Donnelly and Aoibhe Brennan their scorers.

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Further afield there wasn’t much joy for Eileen Gleeson’s Republic of Ireland crew in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, Niamh Fahey and Leanne Kiernan featuring in Liverpool’s defeat by Leicester City and Courtney Brosnan and Heather Payne in the Everton side that lost 1-0 to cup holders Chelsea.

The sole Irish survivor in the competition is Aoife Mannion, although she’s still having to bide her time for minutes after her recent return for injury, the defender an unused substitute for Manchester United in their 4-0 win over Brighton.

The Irish in Scotland had a happier time of it in their cup quarter-finals, Caitlin Hayes helping herself to her 13th goal of the season – reminder: she’s a centre half – in Celtic’s 6-0 hammering of Montrose, while Ciara Grant and Kate Mooney contributed to Hearts’ 1-0 win over Partick Thistle.

Back in England Crystal Palace moved within a point of Sunderland at the top of the Championship table with a 1-0 win at home to Sheffield United, boosting Hayley Nolan and Izzy Atkinson’s hopes of playing in the WSL next season.

And Atkinson has made quite an impact since joining the club from West Ham in January, winning the Championship Player of the Month award for February. Abbie Larkin joined from Glasgow City in the same month, but she has yet to make a breakthrough at Palace, left on the bench again on Sunday.

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan is a sports writer with The Irish Times