Bohemians 2-2 Shelbourne
(Bohemians win 6-5 on penalties)
Bohemians are through to the Avenir Sports All-Island Cup final in the most dramatic of fashions over coming nine-player Shelbourne on penalties in a full-blooded, chaotic affair.
Lisa Murphy eventually smashed home the winning penalty in front of a vociferous crowd of 1,389 - a new record crowd at Dalymount Park for a women's game - who were treated to a thrilling encounter that will go down as one of the wildest games in the competition's history.
Mackenzie Anthony's early penalty put Shels ahead before Alannah McEvoy equalised. Pearl Slattery restored the visitors' lead, only for a 97th-minute equaliser from Roisin McGovern to send the game the distance.
It was the visitors, looking to enact revenge for the league defeat at Tolka Park a couple of weeks ago, that were given the dream start when referee Darragh White pointed to the penalty spot with just 62 seconds played.
Midfield maestro Alex Kavanagh picked up a short free-kick from Leah Doyle out left and clipped a clever ball over the top to Kate Mooney. The ball looked to be running over the endline, but held up slightly, forcing a nasty collision between Bohs skipper Rachael Kelly and the Shels forward.
Unfortunately Mooney came off the worse of the two, eventually needing a stretcher to be carried away for further treatment.
Despite the shock and disappointment of seeing her teammate carried off, Anthony kept her cool to slot the penalty high and to the right and put her side into an early lead.
The aforementioned win over Shels served as a massive confidence boost for Alban Hysa’s young guns, potentially dispelling any previous fear of the Reds and, despite missing star midfielder Aoibhe Brennan through suspension, the home side reacted well to the early set back forcing the visitors back.
With a half hour played, and in typical Dublin derby style, tensions spilled over when Shels captain Pearl Slattery flew into a tackle with Sarah McKevitt, both sets of players needed separating with a couple of yellow cards shown to diffuse the situation.
The focus quickly switched back to football and the enigmatic Noelle Murray showed great feet to fashion a yard of space under pressure, and from 25-yards out, let fly for the top corner but Kelly was equal to the strike, tipping the ball behind at full stretch.
Moments later the impressive hosts deservedly got themselves back on level terms. Following big claims for a penalty from the home support, when Rachel Graham stopped Hannah O’Brien in her tracks, the ball eventually spilled to the lively Alannah McEvoy who turned sharply on to her left foot and smashed the ball low into the bottom corner giving Amanda McQuillan no chance.
The half-time break did nothing to cool the pressure cooker as both sides came flying out of the traps. Both Murray, who was beginning to take control of the game, and Aoibheann Clancy went close with strikes from distance, sandwiched either side of McEvoy getting in behind the Reds rearguard but was eventually smothered.
Just before the hour mark it was the FAI Cup holders who regained the lead when Slattery rose at the back post to nod home Doyle’s deep delivery from the right-hand side.
This silenced the boisterous home support as the game entered a lull, but they soon found their voices again as two moments of madness from the visitors swiftly swung momentum back in their favour with the Reds going down to nine in a matter of seconds.
Firstly, Kavanagh was embroiled in a tussle claiming a throw when the ball was off the pitch which saw her receive a second yellow and second later Slattery received her marching orders when she brought down substitute Leiagh Glennon who got the wrong side of her and looked in goal.
Manager Eoin Wearen reacted by taking both strikers Anthony and Murray off as the back-to-the-walls job to get over the line began.
In an ending befitting with the thrilling encounter, and with seconds remaining, Bohs eventually forced that one chance they desperately sought.
Substitute Maeve Wollmer was adjudged to have handled a ball that bounced up awkwardly in the area allowing McGovern the chance to equaliser from the spot. With monumental pressure on her shoulders, the centre-back then saw her penalty saved by McQuillan but smashed home the rebound to send it straight to penalties.
In the shootout, Clancy and McGovern made no mistake, before Jess Gargan smashed the crossbar with Shels second. Healy’s second for Bohs was brilliantly saved by McQuillan to keep the scores level.
Both teams were perfect, until sudden death reared its head. Kelly reacted brilliantly to deny Graham, leaving Lisa Murphy to smash home from 12-yards to give her side a famous win and set up a day out in the showpiece final.
Bohemians: Rachael Kelly; Sarah Power, Lisa Murphy, Roisin McGovern, Katie Lovely; Hannah Healy, Fiona Donnelly; Sarah McKevitt (Leiagh Glennon, 63’), Hannah O’Brien, Katie McCarn; Alannah McEvoy (Savannah Kane, 63’)
Shelbourne: Amanda McQuillan; Keeva Keenan, Pearl Slattery, Jess Gargan, Leah Doyle; Rachel Graham; Gabriella Del Pico (Jemma Quinn, 63’), Noelle Murray (Nia Hannon, 78’), Alex Kavanagh; Mackenzie Anthony (Meave Wollmer, 78’), Kate Mooney (Aoibheann Clancy, 8’)
Referee: Darragh White
Bohemians will face Wexford in the final after they overcame reigning All-Island Cup champions Galway United 1-0 at Eamonn Deacy Park in the second semi-final.
After a tight first half, Republic of Ireland international Ellen Molloy gave Wexford the lead on 63 minutes with an excellent low finish across Galway keeper Nicole Nix.
Wexford subsequently held on to their advantage book their place in the decider which will be played on the weekend of 31 August, with both finalists looking to become the first club other than Galway to get their hands on the trophy.
Watch England v Spain in the Euro 2025 final on Sunday from 4pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app
