WNL round-up: Peamount and Wexford Youths play out thriller, Shels earn crucial win

A big crowd at a chilly PRL Park were treated to an enthralling clash between two of the WNL heavyweights in a real ding-dong battle.

With four teams within three points of each other going into this weekend's penultimate round of fixtures, this clash between first-placed Wexford Youths and third-placed Peamount promised to be a mouthwatering encounter and it certainly lived up to its billing.

In a rip-roaring start worthy of the occasion, it was the hosts who looked to move the ball quicker in the opening stages. However, it was the league leaders who caught the hosts cold, drawing first blood after just four minutes.

Skipper Kylie Murphy played a clever through ball behind the Peas defence, who failed to clear their lines on a couple of occasions, allowing livewire Jess Lawlor to pounce to put her side ahead.

The visitors could sense blood and pushed for a second. Lawlor again was quick to pick up a loose ball in the middle of the park and hit an early strike from distance in an attempt to catch Niamh Reid-Burke off her line before Murphy hit the side-netting.

Peamount's Aine O’Gorman looked to wrestle the momentum back in her side's favour, showing great feet to cut inside, but she saw her powerful strike fly just wide of the near post.

There were worrying scenes just after the half-hour mark when Youths defender Della O’Doherty collided with O’Gorman on the touchline, the defender seeming to come off worse with what looked like a horrible knee injury.

After a lengthy delay. and the sad sight of the unfortunate O’Doherty leaving on the stretcher, Youths were hit with another blow as the hosts got themselves back on level terms.

As the teams entered the 16 minutes of added time, Chloe Maloney steered home a brilliant header