Wexford Youths 1
Shelbourne 0
Dave Devereux reports from Ferrycarrig Park
SUBSTITUTE LYNN MARIE Grant kept Wexford Youths’ Women’s National League title hopes very much alive with a dramatic late winner against rivals Shelbourne at Ferrycarrig Park.
The hosts looked up against it when captain Kylie Murphy was sent off just ten minutes into the second-half, but they dug deep to snatch an unlikely victory at the death.
Shels began brightly, with a strong breeze at their backs, and Saoirse Noonan fired a first-time effort over the top with just two minutes on the clock.
However, Wexford showed their attacking intent moments later, when Kylie Murphy put Aisling Frawley through on goal with a defence-splitting pass, but the winger sliced wide of the far upright.
Shelbourne began to crank up the pressure as the half wore on and Emily Whelan fired narrowly over from the edge of the area, and seconds later she forced a fine save out of Caoimh Gray, diverting a Jessica Gargan cross from the right goalwards, but the netminder made a superb point-blank stop.
Just past the half hour mark Ciara Grant went close for the visitors, curling narrowly off target from the edge of the area after being teed up by Noelle Murray.
The hosts also looked dangerous though, and they threatened the breakthrough ten minutes before the interval when Ellen Molloy ran into space and slipped the ball through to Kylie Murphy, but Amanda Budden made the save, while Frawley saw her shot blocked in the follow-up.
Wexford Youths came within a whisker of getting their noses in front in the 55th minute when Aoibheann Clancy’s free-kick rattled the crossbar, while Kennedy’s header was then saved by Budden.
The home side were dealt what looked a crippling blow seconds later when Murphy was shown a second yellow card but they knuckled down and gave as good as they got.
Wexford then belied their numerical disadvantage, with Ellen Molloy laying a Rossiter cross off to Lynn Marie Grant in the 89th minute and the substitute arrowed a blistering drive to the corner of the net.
Wexford Youths: Caoimh Gray; Della Doherty, Lauren Dwyer, Nicola Sinnott, Orlaith Conlon, Aisling Frawley (Lynn Marie Grant 77), Edel Kennedy, Aoibheann Clancy, Ciara Rossiter, Ellen Molloy, Kylie Murphy.
Shelbourne: Amanda Budden; Jessica Gargan, Pearl Slattery, Jessica Stapleton, Rachel Graham (Abbi Larkin, 90+1) Emily Whelan, Jessica Ziu, Jamie Finn, Ciara Grant, Noelle Murray (Alex Kavanagh 84), Saoirse Noonan.
Referee: Claire Purcell.
Elsewhere, the clash between Bohemians and Athlone Town game was called off due to the number of Covid-19 cases in the Athlone squad. DLR Waves enjoyed a three goal win over Treaty United, while Peamount saw off Galway by the same margin.
WNL results
Wexford Youths 1-0 Shelbourne
Bohemians P-P Athlone Town
DLR Waves 5-2 Treaty United
Galway WFC 0-3 Peamount United
Well deserved win by Norway.. that Graham up front was superb, what a fantastic player. Still feel Australia should have had a penalty first half.. if VAR can’t overturn a decision because they are unsure then I believe the on field decision by the referee should stand! VAR has been surrounded by controversy at this World Cup!
@Mark O’Connell: I think there was enough doubt cast by the footage to not give it, combine that with going against the bigger side, etc, im not surprised the ref chickened out. Good game overall, but every penalty expect the last one was pretty poor.
Australia never gave up, what heart. I thought the ref was a bit weak.