Women's Premier Division: Shamrock Rovers edge battling Wexford Youths

A goal in each half from Jess Gargan and Aine O'Gorman saw Shamrock Rovers get past a tough Wexford Youths challenge in Tallaght in the SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division.

The fans didn’t have to wait too long to see the opening exchanges of a tantalising battle that unfolded between O’Gorman and Ciara Rossiter with the Wexford native setting the tone early on and keeping close tabs on the Rovers captain close to goal.

Following some probing midfield exchanges, the game began to open up nicely as the first half progressed, Rovers enjoying plenty of possession but unable to ask any real questions of the Wexford defence.

Maeve Williams in the Wexford goal received her first test on 12 minutes, saving well from a close-range Thompson effort after a perfectly weighted cross from team mate Jess Gargan.

Rianna Jarrett and Emily Corbet looked lively up front for Wexford with good movement in around the box but were forced to live off scraps for the majority of the opening half, the service letting the visitors down in attack.

The best chance of the half fell to Jarrett on 35 minutes as she received the ball yards from goal and poked an effort towards the corner only to be denied by a brilliant fingertip save by the experienced Amanda Budden.

It was a busy few minutes for Budden, who had to be just as sharp from the resulting corner to tip away another close-range effort, this time from Corbet after getting herself clear of the goalmouth scramble.

On the stroke of half time, Shamrock Rovers took the lead courtesy of the impressive Gargan.

The warning signs had come for Wexford just moments earlier when Abbie Larkin should have scored but hit the side-netting, having broken past the pressure from Rossiter and into the box.

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