Eileen Gleeson, the Republic of Ireland manager, closely observed the Premier Division game between Shelbourne and Bohemians at her home on Saturday, less than a month before her team’s Euro 2025 qualifying double-header against Sweden. Her Irish team’s failure to score in four consecutive games raised her concerns, making her hope for a spark of Noelle Murray’s brilliance in their attack.
Noelle Murray, who earned her last of 11 caps seven years ago, and at 34 it’s improbable she will increase that number, displayed yet another of her signature superb performances. She hit her 100th goal for Shels, a first for a woman in the history of the club.
Peamount United’s Erin McLaughlin was also on target, scoring twice to clinch victory over Shamrock Rovers for the reigning champions. This comes after Gleeson, since succeeding Vera Pauw, called up five domestically based players, including McLaughlin. Galway United, however, remains the team to beat, maintaining their four-point lead atop the table with a triumphant 4-0 over DLR Waves, watched by a record crowd of 2,861 for the women’s league.
In the current situation, Caitlin Hayes and Amber Barrett are locked in a goal-scoring race within Gleeson’s squad this season. It’s worth highlighting that Hayes, a central defender, has already netted 17 goals across all competitions. Her last goal came in Celtic’s 2-2 draw against Glasgow City last Wednesday. With a level on points with Rangers and only four games left, they are scheduled to clash with Rangers on Monday at midday.
Always in the race, Barrett increased her seasonal total to 16, scoring twice in Standard Liège’s victory over Genk, a 4-2 win that keeps them just two points behind Anderlecht in the Belgian Super League chase. Additionally, Diane Caldwell is positioned to potentially earn a league medal, having played a crucial part in FC Zurich’s semi-final clinching win over FC Luzern in the Swiss league playoffs.
Courtney Brosnan may have stolen the show over the weekend, delivering a performance worth talking about. After Everton’s 2-2 standoff with Spurs, Sky Sports hailed her as the player of the match, highlighting at least three exceptional saves she made. Having undoubtedly the best season of her career, Brosnan has only been outdone in terms of WSL appearances in the ongoing season by Megan Connolly from Bristol City, Anna Patten from Aston Villa – both of whom have not missed a game for their respective clubs – along with Katie McCabe representing Arsenal.