Unbeaten Shamrock Rovers put an end to Treaty United's winning start to the SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division season, coming from behind to grab a big three points.
In a thrilling end-to-end encounter that had chances aplenty despite the less than favourable conditions, Rovers fell behind to Jillian O’Toole’s header before player of the match Emily Corbet grabbed a brace. Aoife Brophy produced a top class finish to make it three before Joy Ralph put the icing on the cake with a well-taken finish.
With just a couple of minutes played though, the home side went close to opening the scoring when Ireland Under-19 star Ralph cut across the box and unleashed a thunderous strike that Lisa Tuomi did well to tip over the bar.
The Tallaght surface was somehow holding up well given the unholy deluge of rain that forced the cancellation of the Peamount United and Galway United game not far away in Greenogue as both teams zipped the ball around with real quality.
But the visitors showed why they had a 100% record coming into the game growing in confidence and took a deserved lead 18 minutes in.
Katle Lawlee had fired a warning shot just before the opener forcing Katie Keane into a brilliant stop, and from the resulting Madison McGuane corner, skipper O’Toole found a yard in the area to glance home a beautiful header.
Drama ensued shortly after when Ciara Breslin broke the offside trap and looked to be clear through on goal. Scarlett Herron looked to be the last player back when bringing down the pacey forward but received just a yellow for her troubles, although Maria Reynolds might have gotten her out of jail being within the eyeline of referee Sean Grant.
The hosts, who had a relatively tough start to the season facing last season's top two in the first couple of weeks of the new season, responded brilliantly and peppered the Treaty goal in search of an equaliser.
Ralph, who had the freedom of the left side, went close again before Jamie Thompson saw her powerful strike rise just at the last second. Moments later last week's hero, Ruesha Littlejohn, spurned yet another good chance, but on her left foot opted for power shooting over.
Having knocked on the door on a number of occasions it seemed as if it was going to be one of those days for Collie O’Neill’s charges but Corbet had other ideas.
The former Athlone star showed great pace getting in behind and racing onto a clever through ball by Aoife Brophy, before showing tremendous composure to slot past the onrushing Tuomi.
Despite McGuane’s excellence in the middle of the park, the hosts took the lead seven minutes after the restart when the Brophy-Corbet combination paid dividends once more.
This time from the right wing, Brophy spotted the run of Corbet in the area and picked her out with pinpoint accuracy. The unmarked Corbet was brave, getting in front of Tuomi and flocking the ball into the bottom corner for her second of the day.
Such was the topsy-turvy nature of the game, the momentum then swung back in the visitors' favour.
Isabella Flocchini was denied her third goal in as many games as the shot was smothered swiftly by Keane when it looked as if the American was about to equalise.
But Aoife Brophy, having had two assists, decided to get herself on the scoresheet, curling a beautiful left-footed effort high into the top corner.
With a quarter of an hour remaining, Aine O’Gorman really should have made sure of the three points and ensured a more comfortable ending despite the two-goal cushion already established.
Following another rampaging Corbet run down the right side and into the area, the former WPD Player of the Year unselfishly squared to her skipper, but from just a couple of yards out somehow managed to screw the ball wide and into the side netting with all those in Tallaght, some team-mates included, thinking she had taken the easiest of chances.
But the former Irish international needn’t have worried though as with the last kick of the game Ralph got the goal her excellent all round and relentless performance deserved as she smashed across goal and into the bottom corner to make it four.
Shamrock Rovers: Katie Keane; Fiona Owens (Keelin Comiskey, 46’), Scarlett Herron, Maria Reynolds, Aoife Brophy; Ruesha Littlejohn, Melissa O’Kane; Emily Corbet (Anna Butler, 83’), Jamie Thompson (Ella Kelly, 61’), Joy Ralph; Aine O’Gorman (Katie O’Reilly, 83’).
Subs not used: Summer Lawless, Hannah Martin, Nicole Fox, Anna Hegarty, Ciara Jane Whyte.
Treaty United: Lisa Maria Tuomi; Grace McInerney, Anna Rockett, Clodagh Daly, Ayaka Ikeza; Jillian O’Toole ; Kate Jones (Mara McCleary, 59’), Madison McGuane (Amy Tierney, 85’), Isabella Flocchini, Katie Lawlee (Sirena Celebrini, 76’); Ciara Breslin (Madeleine McKenzie, 46’).
Subs not used: Katie Irwin, Kate O’Donovan, Madelyn Robbins, Grace Ehinger, Laura O’Neill.
Referee: Sean Grant.
Earlier, Shelbourne won 4-0 for the second weekend in a row, this time cruising past bottom side DLR Waves at the UCD Bowl.
They were on the front foot early before Leah Doyle netted with a snapshot from the edge of the box following a corner just after the half hour mark but it wasn't until the second half that Shels stepped on the gas.
Mackenzie Anthony's finish from outside the box lit the fuse seven minutes after the break, before captain Pearl Slattery and prolific striker Kate Mooney added further gloss to the scoreline in the final stages of the game as Eoin Wearen's reigning FAI Cup winners made it two wins from three.
Reigning champions Athlone Town continued their unbeaten start with a 2-0 win over Cork City on home soil.
Both goals arrived in the first half, with Kayleigh Shine following up Natalie McNally's opener.
Bohemians picked up their first win of the season in style with a stunning 3-0 victory over Wexford at Dalymount Park with Katie McCarn scoring a brace.
The forward opened the scoring ten minutes before half-time, running at the Wexford defence and firing home, with Roisin McGovern doubling the Bohs' lead midway through the second half.
McCarn put the icing on the cake with her second goal on 76 minutes, looping a shot high beyond the reach of Maria O'Sullivan as Bohemians ran out comfortable winners over a Wexford side that had edged out Peamount the previous week.
Waterford picked up a historic first win at senior League of Ireland level at the third attempt with a 2-0 win at Sligo Rovers.
The opener came in the first half following a set-piece with the ball going in off Olivia Shannon. She scored the Blues' second on 64 minutes from 12 yards after a penalty had been awarded following a mix-up in the Sligo defence.
Peamount United's clash with Galway United was postponed due to an unplayable pitch at Greenogue.
Watch Republic of Ireland v Bulgaria in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to live commentary on Radio 1 Extra
