Details

Date Time League Season
23 July 2022 2:00 pm LOI Women's Premier Division 2022

Match Report

Late penalty rescues a point for league leaders Shelbourne against Athlone

A late Noelle Murray penalty gave Shelbourne the leveller in their 1-1 draw with Athlone Town today at Tolka Park, preventing them from heating up a WNL title race.

Both sides had chances in the first-half but failed to capitalise. Just four minutes into the second period Corbett saw Amanda Budden off her line and executed a brilliant chip.

The Reds chased the game with plenty of pressure but Athlone held on until Jessica Hennessy handled a shot in the box in the dying moments. Noelle Murray converted to give Shels a vital point.

An agonising end to a calculated performance by Athlone who now remain eight points off the league leaders and could drop to third if Wexford Youths can win later. The champions had most of the ball in the first-half but were also notably sloppy with it and it nearly had them behind when Leah Doyle lost out to Corbet, who forced a good save from Budden.

The hosts were unlucky then up the other end when Murray’s curling effort from range struck both posts before it was scrambled away. It quickly became evident that focus was off today for the Reds and they struggled to break down the Town with Jessica Hennessy clearing virtually everything.

At the same time Corbet and Madison Gibson were a constant menace on the break and Gibson went close on a number of occasions. Towards the end of the first half though Shels were a bit more incisive and had decent attempts through Megan Smyth-Lynch and Jessie Stapleton.

However, it took just four minutes of the second period before Corbett executed a brilliant chip after a break down the left, where it seemed Budden was barely even off her line. The Midlanders looked set from here on to sit back and they remained threatening on the counter, meanwhile, Noel King’s side continued to lack quality in the final third.

A shot from Jemma Quinn after 55 minutes was as good as it got for the Dubliners until stoppage time, where they got a slice of fortune for all their pressure. Hennessy was the unjust culprit for Tommy Hewitt’s team, handling a hopeful long-range effort and immediately falling into her arms with despair.

Murray coolly slotted home the spot kick to rescue the point for the Drumcondra outfit and keep Athlone at bay.

Shelbourne

1Amanda Budden Goalkeeper
2Jessica Gargan Defender
3Jessie Stapleton Defender
4Pearl Slattery Defender
5Shauna Fox 18 Defender
8Rachel Graham Defender
9Abbie Larkin Forward
10Noelle Murray Forward 93'
11Megan Smyth-Lynch 15 Forward
12Keeva Keenan 16 Defender
13Leah Doyle Defender
20Amanda McQuillan Goalkeeper
38Courtney Maguire Goalkeeper
6Alex Kavanagh Midfielder
14Izzy Glennon Midfielder
15Jemma Quinn 11 Forward
16Lia O’Leary 12 Forward
17Taylor White Forward
18Aoife Kelly 5 Midfielder 34'
19Kate O’Dowd Midfielder

Athlone Town

1Niamh Coombes Goalkeeper
2Fiona Owens Defender
5Jessica Hennessy Midfielder
22Melissa O’Kane 10 Midfielder
7Gillian Keenan Forward 89'
9Emily Corbet Forward 49'
11Laurie Ryan Midfielder
12Maddison Gibson Midfielder
13Kelsey Munroe Defender
14Roisin Molloy Midfielder
17Scarlett Herron Midfielder
16Bonnie McKiernan Goalkeeper
3Kayleigh Shine Defender
6Muireann Devaney Midfielder
10Kellie Brennan 22 Forward
15Lucy Jayne Grant Forward
21Millie Daly Midfielder
19Emma McGrath Defender
  • Full-time. Shelbourne 1-1 Athlone Town

  • 93'

    Murray converts and gives Shels a huge point. Agony for Athlone

  • 92'

    Drama here as Jess Hennessy handle's the ball in the box and Shels get a late penalty

  • 91'

    Budden makes the odd decision to come up for a Shels corner with five minutes still remaining, and it nearly backfired as Athlone broke away temporarily

  • 90'

    Five added on here in Drumcondra

  • 89'

    Booking for Athlone's Gillian Keenan

  • 82'

    Final water break now

  • 80'

    Athlone have really taken the sting out game now, and if they can hold on for 10 minutes they'll go five points behind the champions!

  • 71'

    Hewitt brings on Kellie Brennan in place of Melissa O'Kane

  • 69'

    A series of Shels corners provided scares for Athlone, but Tommy Hewitt's team soaked it up and continue to threaten on the break. The most recent example being a Gibson effort that required a quality save from Budden

  • 61'

    Kelly does well to test Coombes with a decent shot from outside the box

  • 60'

    Shels struggling to keep sustained pressure on the Midlanders, and being frustrated by their defending at the minute

  • 55'

    Half-time sub Jemma Quinn goes close after finding a yard in the box and swiping just left of the Athlone goal

  • 49'

    A brilliant goal by Corbet to give the visitors the lead. The ball broke to her down the left and she chipped it beautifully over Budden

  • Back underway in North-Dublin

  • Half-time at Tolka Park. Shelbourne 0-0 Athlone Town

  • 47'

    Jessie Stapleton with an effort in the box that is dragged a whisker wide

  • 45'

    Smyth-Lynch with an effort from close in but Coombes pulls off a great stop

  • 43'

    Yellow for an Athlone player after a high tackle but unclear who received it at the moment

  • 40'

    The league leaders in charge of possession but lacking quality and being restricted to rushed crosses by Athlone

  • 34'

    Substitute Kelly booked for the Reds

  • 33'

    Gibson with a great chance but blazed over from close in

  • 30'

    Another opportunity for Shels as Doyle fizzes a ball into Smyth-Lynch but despite connecting well first time, Niamh Coombes was equal to the shot

  • 27'

    King forced to make a change as Shauna Fox comes off injured and is replaced by Aoife Kelly

  • 25'

    Doyle found some space in the box but couldn't get a shot away. The Town broke down the other end through Madison Gibson but her effort went harmlessly over

  • 17'

    Game being played at a slow pace so far. Shels have been sloppy on the ball and Athlone pressing them well when they need to

  • 13'

    Noelle Murray so unlucky for the home team. Her curled effort from range struck both posts before it was scrambled clear

  • 11'

    Big chance for the visitors after Leah Doyle lost possession for Shels and Emily Corbett would have capitalised if it wasn\'t for a save by Amanda Budden

  • 5'

    Keeva Keenan with a knock for the Reds. Time will tell if she comes back on or if Noel King has to make an early change

  • 1'

    We're off here at Tolka. Megan Smyth-Lynch with an early chance as well after some great footwork

  • Athlone teams news: Late change as a niggle for Muireann Devaney means she doesn't start and Melissa O'Kane is in

  • Shelbourne team news: Abbie Larkin looks to continue her fortune in front of goal after a hat-trick against the Peas, while Pearl Slattery leads the line. Young goalkeeper Courtney Maguire, who broke through the academy, is on the bench

  • It's a top of table clash in Drumcondra and both sides are on good form. The hosts thrashed Peamount 4-0 last time out, while Athlone got a 2-1 victory for their travels to Sligo last week

  • Con Sheehan here reporting as Shelbourne host Athlone Town in a huge WNL clash. Kick-off is 2pm at Tolka Park

Past Meetings

(Round 3)
0 - 2
LOI Women's Premier Division
Athlone Town Stadium

Athlone Town v Shelbourne

(Series 25)
1 - 1
LOI Men's First Division
Tolka Park

Shelbourne v Athlone Town

(Series 19)
4 - 0
LOI Women's Premier Division
Tolka Park

Shelbourne v Athlone Town

(Series 16)
1 - 3
LOI Men's First Division
Athlone Town Stadium

Athlone Town v Shelbourne

(Series 10)
5 - 0
LOI Women's Premier Division
Tolka Park

Shelbourne v Athlone Town

(Series 7)
1 - 0
LOI Men's First Division
Tolka Park

Shelbourne v Athlone Town

(Series 1)
0 - 2
LOI Women's Premier Division
Athlone Town Stadium

Athlone Town v Shelbourne

(Quarter Final)
4 - 1
FAI Cup
Athlone Town Stadium

Athlone Town v Shelbourne

(Series 4)
0 - 3
LOI Women's Premier Division
Athlone Town Stadium

Athlone Town v Shelbourne

Ground

Tolka Park
Tolka Park (Shelbourne FC), Drumcondra South A ED, Dublin, County Dublin, Leinster, Ireland

21 year old sports journalist from Drogheda. Student at Dublin City University. Drogheda United Correspondent for FinalWhistle.ie