A stunned Rovers Women regroup and cruise to a 5-1 win over Bohemians on what was a sun soaked day at Tallaght Stadium.

Christine Allen reports from Tallaght Stadium.

Livestreamlink:

https://www.loitv.ie/en-int/livestream/shamrock-rovers-v-bohemians/1788013

Having held title contendors Shelbourne FC to a 1-1 draw on August 31st,

Ken Kiernan’s side were never going to be easy pickings for the Tallaght tiki-takas and the visitors intentions were clear from that first blow of the whistle.

Sarah McKevitt, Katie Malone and Antea Guvo pressed both Maria

Reynolds and Savannah McCarthy in the pocket facing the South

Stand, hunting for a goal early doors.

Following her winner last weekend against Peamount United, Joy

Ralph exuded confidence and sparked an audible ooh from the

West Stand as she executed a beautiful display of craftsmanship to

steel the ball beyond former DLR teammate Fiona Donnelly. (48

seconds)

Yet moments later the Tallaght faithful were stunned by an

attacking triad that oozed quality on the counter.

Opting to allow the throw-in to run beyond her tall frame, Guvo

spotted Malone pedalling ahead and threaded the ball through.

Malone, wide to Fiona Owens at her shoulder, triggered a master stroke, swinging the ball smoothly into the bottom left hand corner of Amanda Budden’s net. (1:24)

Budden on the restart was vociferous.

“Let’s go now!” The Douglas native roared in an attempt to jilt the

Rovers Women from their shell shocked state, catching the

attention of one spectator who near jumped to attention.

Bohemians sensed that there was a second in the offing and like a

Boxer eyeing up a winded opponent, drove on for the kill, their

attackers surrounding Reynolds, McCarthy and Herron in

what was an ominous contrast to the clear blue sky. (6:22)

Starting once again for TheHoops, Shankill striker Stephanie

Zambra knocked at The Gypsies door from the opening bell

as she sought out a gap top left.

In Rover’s first significant chance (5:03), Zambra controlled

the ball with her chest and shielded it from Aoibhe Brennan’s

press.

Zambra then shrugged off Brennan and executed a turn in

limited space, dinking the cross inside the box where both

Ralph and O’Gorman were unlucky not to get a touch.

The former senior irish international continued to press and

created another goal scoring opportunity forThe Hoops.

Threading the ball at an angle yet to be examined in Higher

Level Leaving Cert Maths (7:54), Zambra found Ralph who

thumped it towards Kelly- the Precision ambassador

catching the powerful strike without so much as flinching.

Bohemians to their credit never once sat on their lead,

Alannah McEvoy scouting on repeat for a chink in the Rovers

backline - Owens meeting the threat head on (15:38)

Rovers, despite the ongoing threat of a quality counter

pushed on towards the North Stand (15:37), Savannah

McCarthy’s interception and sweeping cross towards the

back post appreciated by those in attendance-one young

fan in particular seeking the number 3’s attention with

sheepish calls of ‘Savannah’ over the course of the first 45’.

McEvoy almost secured a second for Bohs (17:48) when

McKevitt, who, with quick feet and speed, charged beyond

Aoife Kelly and swung the ball inside.

Despite nosing ahead of her defender, the energy behind

McEvoy’s darting run sent the ball over the crossbar and the

Tallaght faithful exhaled.

In what was a creative masterclass (21:25), Katie Lovely

delivered a long ball to McKevitt who showed her skill to

drive beyond McCarthy but Jessica Hennessy would use her

defensive acumen to shield the ball from the waiting Malone.

Budden was wide to the threat the former duo presented

and as Reynolds swivelled to punt a pass back to her goal

minder(23:52), the Rovers shot stopper was quick to direct

the number 6 in the opposite direction.

No problem for Reynolds as the lithe defender turned

McKevitt with a deft spin that was appreciated by the West

Stand spectators.

Rovers would level the match in the 26th minute.

As Zambra, on her knees, expressed dissatisfaction at Sarah

Power’s challenge to the referee,

Ralph took advantage of the controversial decision not to

award a foul, stealing the ball from Katie Lovely and dancing

past three before letting fly into the bottom right hand

corner. (25:38)

Less than a minute later, O’Gorman would edge out Tiegan

Ruddy and Shauna Carroll to tap in an absolute scorcher of

an in-swinging cross from O’Leary to give Rovers the lead

(26:45).

Bohemians belief remained however and they pushed on for

the leveller.

Just past the half hour mark (33:03), a Malone chest down

and first time flick to Guvo was recycled to

Brennan who carried the ball forward with confidence.

With Hennessy on the verge of closing her down, the

number 7 dinked it to McEvoy who was (much to the relief of

the home crowd) adjudicated offside.

Moments later Owens would secure an extra cushion for her

teammates.

As Kelly’s throw out spun through the air, Owens raced to

pickpocket it from McEvoy and dinked it over Kelly’s head in

what was a sublime first goal for the fan favourite (36:05)

Despite the two goal dis-advantage, Bohemians never looked

deflated - Fiona Donnelly alert to O’Gorman’s pass charged

forward upon intercept in an attempt to recoup one (43:15).

Spotting McKevitt, Donnelly switched the ball to the star

winger who pedalled through a minute gap between

Reynolds and McCarthy.

The number 8 would try her luck from long range but her

strike was parried by Budden - Malone’s follow up lacking the

bite to trouble the fierce Corkonian.

The second half was less frenetic than the first, but eventful

nonetheless.

A beautiful switch from O’Leary sailed across the plush

Tallaght turf and found O’Gorman who released a reverse

pass to Ralph- the Greenhills native’s strike hitting the side

netting.

“Stay high!” Kelly instructed her outfield players, conscious of

the pressure Shauna Carroll (who showed her pedigree at

left back) was under as Owens toyed with the number 19.

Zambra would put the contest far beyond Bohs reach with

just under twenty minutes left to play (72:43), unleashing an

exquisite missile off her left boot that rattled under the lip of

the crossbar before bouncing inside Kelly’s line.

Emily Corbet who made her appearance alongside Melissa

O’Kane in the 68th would net the 5th (76:20)

The former Wexford Youth sharpshooter shone in moments

on the right wing and demonstrated her flair to tear away

from Ruddy in the 86th. (86:53)

Jaime Thompson added a touch of panache with a deft step over and pass square up the line for Katie O’Reilly to

chase (83:20).

The game would end 5-1 to the Rovers Women, who extracted

three points from Bohs for a second time this campaign.

The Hoops next welcome Sligo Rovers to Dublin 24 on

September 14th.