WNL round-up: Wexford, Shels, Peamount and Athlone win

It's really heating up in the SSE Airtricity Women's National League as the top four teams, Wexford Youths, Shelbourne, Peamount United and Athlone Town all collected three points.

Wexford started the day on top of the WNL table and they created the first opening after just five minutes when Ciara Rossiter fired in a fierce low shot that Amy Mahon did well to turn away.

Jess Lawler then missed two chances in succession, before Nicola Sinnott headed an Aoibheann Clancy free kick straight at Mahon. But all the pressure was coming from Wexford and it was no surprise when they took the lead just after the half hour.

Rossiter floated a ball into the danger area and Kylie Murphy rose to head the ball over Mahon and into the net Paula McGrory came close to a Sligo equaliser three minutes later when her long distance effort was turned onto the bar and over.

But five minutes before the break Wexford scored a second when Rossiter steamed in at the back post to hammer home a header. Sligo immediately pulled one back when Emma Doherty curled in an effort from way out on the left flank that drifted beautifully into the top corner of the Wexford goal.

Into the second half and Murphy bagged her second of the game, stabbing home a precision header from Rossiter's corner in the 59th minute. But moments later Sligo struck again, Emma Doherty bundling home a corner that had been drifted in from the right.

With 12 minutes left the Rossiter-Murphy axis struck again, Rossiter again being the provider for a beautifully judged Murphy header that secured her a hat-trick, and her team the three points. One minute later Rossiter deservedly got her second and Wexford’s fifth, tucking home the rebound when Mahon parried Becky Watkins’ effort.

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