Gary Hunt’s Waterford FC side fell to their second defeat of the season away to Peamount United on Saturday evening, as three first-first goals proved the difference between the sides.
Ahead of kick-off, Gary Hunt made one change to his side from last week’s defeat to Treaty United, with Issy Walsh coming into the side for her first start of the season in place of Olivia Shannon who moved to bench ahead of kick-off in Greenogue Park.
It was the hosts who got out of the traps the quickest, with Peamount captain Eleanor Ryan Doyle opening the scoring inside two minutes, firing home from close-range after Meabh Russell’s cross from the right.
It was Ryan Doyle who again caused trouble for the Blues defence on the ten-minute mark, firing into the hands of Maeve Williams deep inside the Blues penalty area, before Abigail Tuthill saw her headed effort saved getting on the end of Doherty’s corner moments later.
The hosts pressure paid off in the 22nd minute, when Sorcha Melia got on the end of a long-ball over the Waterford defence to double Seamount’s advantage at Greenogue Park.
Erin O’Brien has the Blues first chance of the game just before the half-hour mark, when she intercepted the Peamount defence inside their penalty area, before forcing the hosts goalkeeper Niamh Coombes into an excellent low save to maintain their two-goal advantage.
That save proved crucial for the hosts as just moments later they added a third through Aisling Spillane who fired home at the near post extend the Peamount lead to three.
Fiana Bradley tested Coombes in the Peamount goal instantly from kick-off, as Bradley saw her effort from 30 yards excellently saved, before the Blues number 11 had another effort fly narrowly wide of the Peamount goal in what proved to be the final clear cut chance of the first-half.
The hosts created the first chance of the second-half, as Aisling Spillane rattled the Blues post after reacting quickest to a loose ball from a corner kick inside the opening ten minutes of the second period.
The Blues saw more of the ball in the second-half, resisting the hosts to chances from distance, with Aoife O’Connor testing Maeve Williams with a long-range effort on 65′.
Williams denied Ryan Doyle her second when she got in behind the Blues defence on 78′, with the Blues shot-stopper saving low from the Peamount captain. Moments later, Jess Lawler – who made her return to action after picking up a serious-looking ankle injury on the opening day of the season – saw an effort of her own from distance rise just over the Peamount crossbar as the Blues looked to get back into the game.
Moments later, it was another substitute in Olivia Shannon who saw her goal bound effort cleared off the Peamount goal-line inside the final ten minutes of action in Greenogue Park.
It was Shannon who gave the spectators the final chance of the game in the first minute of injury-time, firing off the Peamount post after reacting quickest to a loose ball inside the hosts penalty area, as the home side saw out the final minutes to pick up all three points.
Peamount United FC: Coombes (GK), Russell (78′ Beirne), Doherty, Tuthill, Phillips (78′ Clare), O’Connor, Spillane, Melia, Ryan Doyle (C) (78′ Guvo), O’Neill (82′ Delahunty), Byrne.
Waterford FC: Williams (GK) (C); K. Burke (46′ Lawler), Doherty, D. Burke, S. Dumevi, Conroy (46′ O’Donoghue); Lenihan, Gornell (56′ Shannon), Walsh (74′ Mahony); Bradley (83′ Carley), O’Brien.
