Shelbourne are the SSE Airtricity Women's National League champions for the second year in succession after defeating Wexford Youths in the title showdown.
At the start of the 27th and final round of games, three teams were remarkably still in the title mix: Shels on 57 points, Wexford on 56 and Athlone on 55.
However, goals from Jessie Stapleton, Alex Kavanagh, Megan Smyth-Lynch and Abbie Larkin proved to be too much for the hosts as a hotly contested battle between the top two in the league turned into a title stroll for the Dublin club.
Shelbourne were first to settle, after 12 minutes of probing against a low Wexford block, Jess Gargan sprung clear on the right and fizzed a low ball across the box that Smyth-Lynch just missed on the slide.
The left-sided Smyth-Lynch snuck in moments later but slashed across the ball and her effort flew wide of the near post.
Wexford, without Ellen Molloy and Della Doherty through injury, did eventually settle and went close on 25 minutes when Ciara Rossiter controlled a Kylie Murphy cross but flashed her effort over the crossbar.
Kennedy sliced off target from the edge of the area in the 32nd minute but Shelbourne appeared the more likely to make the breakthrough as the half moved to a conclusion and the goal duly came in first half added-time.
Alex Kavanagh was afforded too much space 25 yards from goal and she unleashed a rocket. Maeve Williams got her hands to it but was only able to push it back into the middle of the box where Jessie Stapleton was on hand to take it around the hosts 'keeper and slide home from a tight angle.
GOAL ⚽️ | Wexford Youths 0-1 Shelbourne
— Women's National League (@LoiWomen) October 29, 2022
Jessie Stapleton breaks the deadlock at Ferrycarrig Park just before the break!
What an important goal that could be…#WNL | @SportTG4 pic.twitter.com/9UZ1kPsHwI
Wexford needed something quick after the break but were indebted to a Meabh Russell block from Noelle Murray's shot to keep it at one. With Wexford’s final ball letting them down at one end, Shels went close again in the 58th minute when Williams tipped over a rocket from Smyth-Lynch.
However, the result was beyond doubt when the second goal did come on the hour mark, Kavanagh heading in a long ball from just inside the area.
A demoralised Wexford began to fall apart then and conceded a third in the 73rd minute when Smyth-Lynch tucked in Larkin's cross.
Two minutes later it was four, Larkin racing in on the left and comfortably slotting past Williams. With no way back for Wexford, Shelbourne played out the game to take back-to-back titles in style.
Athlone secured second with a 2-1 over Bohemians at Dalymount Park and Wexford actually finished fourth as Peamount won 6-0 at Galway to take third.
Wexford Youths: Williams; Russell (Dwyer 86), Sinnott, Conlon; Watkins, Kennedy, Clancy, Rossiter; Murphy; Lawler (Lawrence 86), Walker (Walsh 64).
Shelbourne: Budden; Keenan (O’Reilly 79), Slattery, Fox, Doyle; Gargan, Stapleton (Graham 88), Kavanagh, Smyth-Lynch (Riley 88); Larkin (White 90), Murray (Quinn 79),
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan (Cork)
