The Premier Division of SSE Airtricity has seen some thrilling championship clashes in recent times, with the latest being when Shelbourne reduced Athlone Town’s leading position to just three points this past Saturday.
Facing a five points difference, Shelbourne confronted Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park. Their 1-0 victory implies that Shelbourne has emerged as the core competition for Athlone, with just two fixtures remaining.
Kate Mooney was instrumental in the victory for Shelbourne, marking her seventh goal in five matches. The forward has been a significant addition to the team since her move from Hearts in July.
Athlone, however, had a tough evening, managing to secure a 3-3 stalemate with Shamrock Rovers in an unpredictable match that oscillated between both teams. An exceptional double goal by Madie Gibson within seven minutes brought them closer to the title, only for Rovers to equalise through Joy Ralph in the final eight minutes following Gibson’s second goal.
Securing four points from their final two clashes – one at home against Bohemians and the other in Galway, would ensure the title for Athlone. However, Shelbourne is hoping for any mistakes on Athlone’s part, which they play host to reigning champions Peamount before their final game against Rovers. With the upcoming FAI Cup final marking their third consecutive meeting, the rivalry between these two teams is heating up.
In other news, former Shelbourne forward Saoirse Noonan is enjoying significant success at Celtic, whom she signed with from Durham over the summer. Her brace against Montrose in the League Cup saw her campaign totals rise to 12 in only 11 games, rounding off a week that saw Celtic advancing to the group stages of the Champions League for the first time.
In the recent Super League matches, only a trio of footballers from the Republic of Ireland graced the starting lineup for their respective clubs. Leading Arsenal as captain, Katie McCabe orchestrated a narrow 1-0 victory against Leicester City. Courtney Brosnan, the goalkeeper for Everton, unfortunately experienced a 1-0 loss against Manchester United. Aston Villa’s lineup featured Anna Patten in their match against Spurs. Further observing the activity from Ireland’s representatives, Leanne Kiernan, Niamh Fahey from Liverpool, Heather Payne of Everton, and Crystal Palace’s Abbie Larkin contributed to the matches as substitutes.