WNL Round-up: Amber Barrett bids auf wiedersehen to Peamount with hat-trick as top three all win handsomely

Amber Barrett bade farewell to Peamount United with a hat-trick as the league leaders trounced Kilkenny United 9-0 at PRL Park on Saturday evening.

Áine O’Gorman also scored three times, while Eleanor Ryan Doyle, Megan Smyth-Lynch and Niamh Farrelly were all on target as the Peas led 7-0 at half-time.

James O’Callaghan’s side eased off after the break but there was time for Barrett – who departs for a new challenge with Bundesliga side Koln next week – and O’Gorman to seal their trebles.

It’s a case of as you were in the race for the league title as second-placed Wexford Youths and third-placed Shelbourne recorded easy wins over Limerick and Galway respectively.

Youths, who learned their Champions League group opponents on Friday, shook off a slow start to put seven past visitors Limerick, while Shels breezed to a 3-0 win at Fahy’s Field.

The day, it seems, belonged to the departing Republic of Ireland international Barrett, who signs off on 16 goals, which won’t be enough for her to retain her golden boot.

Captain for the day, the Donegal striker took just three minutes to get her name on the scoresheet, firing home from just inside the box after Smyth-Lynch’s cross was directed into her path.

Ryan Doyle made it 2-0 as she nodded home a Jade Reddy cross before Smyth-Lynch made it three with a shot from distance that found the top corner.

O’Gorman tapped into an empty net to make it 4-0 before Farrelly found the corner to make it five, with five different scorers on target.

Barrett added a sixth with a long-range effort three minutes before the break and O’Gorman made it 7-0 on the stroke of half time with a close-range overhead kick.



As the final 15 minutes approached, Barrett completed her hat-trick as she curled into the top corner, before O’Gorman followed suit moments later.

At Ferrycarrig Park, Aisling Frawley continued the day’s theme of hat-tricks as she netted three in the champions’ 7-0 win over Limerick.

Youths found it tough going early on and looked to be heading into the sheds at 0-0 before Ciara Rossiter, making her first start in a year, curled in the opener three minutes before the break.

It was a double-whammy for Limerick moments later as Frawley doubled the lead with her first of the game, a fine finish with her left foot.

Rianna Jarrett made it 3-0 two minutes after the break when she tapped home a rebound after substitute keeper Medbh Ryan had saved well.

Lauren Kelly teed up Frawley for her second before Jarrett made her brace, and captain Kylie Murphy powered home a header.



Frawley sealed her hat-trick ith a long-range strike, and Megan Kelleher was shown a second yellow card late on to compound Limerick's misery.

Shelbourne came into the game as the league’s top scorers with 46, seven ahead of Peamount, but that gap has been cut to one following their 3-0 win over Galway.

Republic of Ireland international Emily Whelan scored twice, while top scorer Alex Kavanagh made it 11 in ten games, as Dave Bell’s side recorded a comfortable win.

Shels led as early as the eighth minute as Whelan notched her ninth goal of the season, but they almost conceded within a minute as Lynsey McKee hit the crossbar.

The Reds went 2-0 up with 25 minutes remaining as Whelan got her second, before Kavanagh rounded off the win with 17 minutes to go.

Peamount sit proudly atop the table on 36 points with 12 wins from 12 games, eight ahead of Wexford Youths and ten clear of Shelbourne, who have a game in hand.

Sunday's only game sees Cork City host DLR Waves at Bishopstown (kick-off 2pm).