LEAGUE LEADERS ATHLONE Town secured a crucial point in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Shamrock Rovers last night.
Shelbourne defeated Galway United 1-0 earlier on Saturday, eating into the five-point lead Athlone held at the outset of the action.
With two games to go in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division, the Midlanders are three points clear at the top of the table.
Ciarán Kilduff’s side, who are closing in on their first league title, twice came from behind in a helter-skelter home showdown against Shamrock Rovers. It looked like they would win it late on, but Rovers dramatically responded amidst a rollercoaster 90 seconds.
Áine O’Gorman opened the scoring in the 14th minute and Rovers held a 1-0 lead until the in-form Brenda Ebika Tabe levelled matters in the opening stages of the second half.
Scarlett Herron scored against her former club in the 52nd minute, putting Rovers back in front, before Madie Gibson bagged a sensational six-minute double.
Madie Gibson 🫢👏
— LOI Women (@LoiWomen) September 28, 2024
Athlone are back in this one AGAIN! Catch the final 10 minutes 👉 https://t.co/sfgYmzZvUs#WLOI | #LOITV pic.twitter.com/lvVxZ74yJl
Player of the Match Gibson scored a stunning free-kick in the 75th minute and added another brilliant goal — assisted by Roisin Molloy — in the 81st to make it 3-2 to Athlone.
But Rovers hit back straight from the restart, with Joy Ralph turning home on the spin.
The most INSANE 90 seconds this season! 😅
— LOI Women (@LoiWomen) September 28, 2024
Madie Gibson puts Athlone ahead in the 81st minute, and Shamrock Rovers’ Joy Ralph scores straight from the restart 🤯
Amazing football from these two 👏#WLOI | #LOITV pic.twitter.com/kHIZhOPb54
The excitement continued through the endgame, but there wouldn’t be a winner.
Earlier on Saturday, Kate Mooney was Shelbourne’s goalscoring hero at Eamonn Deacy Park as they separated themselves from Galway in the title race and kept the pressure on Athlone.
Eoin Wearen’s side face reigning champions Peamount United (home) and Shamrock Rovers (away) in their final two games of the season, while Athlone will be hoping to maintain the gap as they play Bohemians (home) and Galway (away) over the next two Saturdays.
Women’s Premier Division Results
- Sligo Rovers 1-1 Peamount United
- Cork City 0-1 DLR Waves
- Bohemians 1-4 Wexford
- Galway United 0-1 Shelbourne
- Athlone Town 3-3 Shamrock Rovers.
