WNL Round-Up: Five winners on opening day as 18 goals scored across the league

It was the start of the Women’s National League season on Saturday, and it was goals galore on day one with 18 goals banged in across the five fixtures.

The defending champions got us started at Tolka Park in the 2pm kick-off with a 1-0 Dublin Derby victory against Bohemians.

The Gypsies were no soft touch all game long with their defence frustrating the Shels attack on almost every occasion.

Pearl Slattery made the difference though; the defender had a header saved by Rachael Kelly in the first half, but Noelle Murray placed the ball on her head again in the second half and the captain powered it into the net for the narrow win.

DLR Waves kicked off as the game in Tolka came to a close with Graham Kelly’s side running riot at the UCD Bowl against Treaty United winning 5-0.

Lynn Craven netted on her debut in the first half with Keri Letmon and Avril Brierley adding two more in the second half.

Promising striker Joy Ralph made the step up from Waves underage teams to make her debut yesterday when she came on with twenty minutes to go.

There will be a lot of talk about the youngster going forward as she announced herself with two goals coming off the bench.

There were more goals in the evening as Peamount United put six past Sligo Rovers in Greenogue.

It was a tough beginning to life in the WNL for Sligo Rovers as they fielded a team in the WNL for the first time ever.

United were four up by half time with Dora Gorman and Erin McLaughlin scoring and Stephanie Roche adding a brace of goals before the interval.

Aine O’Gorman picked up where she left off last season as the WNL’s top scorer when she added two more in the second half.

Alan Murphy’s first game in charge of Galway WFC was hugely successful with the Tribeswomen running out 3-0 winners over Cork City at Turner’s Cross.

Nicole McNamara scored within the first ten minutes to put Galway ahead, Aoibheann Costello added a second in the 28^th minute with Julie-Ann Russell rounding out the scoring with a third with twenty minutes to go.

Athlone Town and Wexford Youths played out a much tighter affair in Lissywollen with the visitors overturning a goal deficit to win 2-1.

Emily Corbet scored for the Town just before half time and they were 15 minutes away from a huge win when Ellen Molloy netted in the 75^th minute.

It was a sucker punch for Tommy Hewitt’s side in the 80^th minute when Jessica Lawler scored the winner for Youths with ten minutes to go.

League Report: @shelsfc 1-0 @bfcdublin#WNLhttps://t.co/sQrjP22TlVpic.twitter.com/jqbbNGP4DH

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) March 5, 2022