WNL Round-up: Peamount leave it late to down Galway while Jarrett fires Wexford to victory

Peamount United left it late as Amber Barrett’s 90th-minute strike preserved the west Dublin side’s five-point lead at the top of the Women’s National League.

Barrett scored one in either half after Megan Smyth-Lynch had opened the scoring, but second-half goals from Sadhbh Doyle and Meabh De Burca made it a nervy finish.

Winger Smyth-Lynch nudged Peamount in front after 17 minutes and Ireland striker Barrett made it two from the penalty spot after Ria McPhilbin had taken down Eleanor Ryan Doyle.

Galway pulled one back five minutes into the second half through Donovan’s deflected effort before De Burca levelled with a penalty midway through the second half.

The away side looked set for a hard-earned draw on the road – and Peamount to drop their first points of the season – before Barrett netted her 12th of the season at the death.

Holders Wexford Youths kept up the pressure on James O’Callaghan’s side with a controversial 2-1 victory over Cork City at Ferrycarrig Park in Saturday’s other game.

Top scorer Rianna Jarrett extended her personal tally to 11 with a goal in each half after Eabha O’Mahony had levelled for Cork from the penalty spot.

Youths took the lead after 27 minutes when a raking cross-field pass from Doireann Fahey found Jarrett in the box, and the Ireland striker volleyed home emphatically.

O’Mahony evened things up four minutes from half-time after Christina Dring had been taken down in the box.

Fahey was the provider once more as she picked out Jarrett with a ball down the channel and the striker turned Ciara McNamara inside and out before burying a shot in the corner.



There was time for more drama at the death as Dring put the ball in the net for what looked like the equaliser, but play was called back for a free kick to Cork.

In Sunday’s games, Limerick host Shelbourne at the Market’s Field at 2pm while Kilkenny play DLR Waves at 2.30pm at Thomastown United.