WNL Round-up: Treaty United shock DLR Waves to record first-ever win while Shelbourne stay top

Treaty United recorded their first Women’s National League victory as they shocked DLR Waves with a 2-0 victory at the UCD Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

Two goals in three minutes from Chloe Connolly and Aoife Horgan saw the Limerick side take the three points in just their second game since the old Limerick FC reformed under a new guise.

Shelbourne remain three points clear at the top following their 3-0 win away to division newcomers Athlone Town in Lissywollen.

Champions Peamount United remain second, with a game fewer played, having seen off another new side, Bohemians, by the same scoreline at the Oscar Traynor Centre.

The story of the round, however, is undoubtedly Dave Rooney’s Treaty side, who upset an in-form Waves side in Belfield in a thoroughly-merited win.

Graham Kelly’s Waves had a disrupted week in which they were unable to train due to close contacts of two squad/staff members undergoing tests for Covid-19.

That caused Wednesday’s fixture with Peamount to be postponed but, after both tests came back negative, Saturday’s game was given the green light with a new kick-off time of 2pm.

Waves, who were crestfallen to concede a last-minute winner to Shelbourne seven days earlier, started the game positively and arguably shaded the first half.

The second half was another matter entirely and Treaty ran out deserved winners following a one-two punch from Connolly and Horgan shortly after the break.

Treaty took the lead six minutes into the second half when Connolly met Maggie Duncliffe’s corner with a firm header.

The ball rebounded back off the bar but dropped nicely for the winger to stab home the loose ball and reward her side’s livelier start to the second period.

Two minutes later, Treaty struck again as a defensive mistake presented Horgan with an opportunity to ease past Oleta Griffin and roll the ball past Eve Badana in the Waves net.

Things got worse for Waves just before the hour as defender Nicole Keogh was sent off following an off-the-ball incident and Treaty could have added to their lead before settling on a 2-0 scoreline.

Athlone enhanced the perception they will be a tough nut to crack this season as they made Shelbourne work for a 3-0 win.

Noelle Murray opened the scoring for Shels before the half-hour mark as she slotted home a penalty after Jessica Ziu was fouled in the area.

The Reds had to wait until the 75^th minute to make the points safe as substitute Niamh McLaughlin found the net before another sub, Kate Mooney, added a third five minutes later.

The penalty spot provided the breakthrough, too, for Peamount at Bohemians as Aine O’Gorman slotted home from 12 yards four minutes before half time.

Eleanor Ryan Doyle added a second from Sadhb Doyle’s cross 14 minutes from the end and O’Gorman added her second from close range with five minutes remaining.

The scheduled game between Wexford Youths and Galway was postponed after a club player was found to have been a close contact of someone who tested positive for Covid-19.