Shelbourne earned a huge, hard-fought three points against an excellent Treaty United side in one of the most entertaining SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division games of the season.
Goals either side of the break from Roma McLaughlin and Mackenzie Anthony proved enough to ensure the three points stayed in Drumcondra in a feisty affair.
The hosts knew that they could not afford any more slip-ups in the run- in, while carrying the niggling feeling that a perfect ending still might not be enough with Athlone Town having the ace up their sleeves of a game in hand.
But knowing a win would see them regain top spot if even for a few hours at least, Eoin Wearen kept nothing in reserve, naming a star-studded midfield of Alex Kavanagh, Aoibheann Clancy and McLaughlin and they went close to opening the scoring early on.
Kavanagh, making her 200th senior appearance for the Reds, played a delightful round-the-corner pass that sent McLaughlin free down the left. The skillful attacker cut inside and unleashed a sweetly struck effort that was bravely blocked from close range.
Roma McLaughlin has The Reds in front! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/RA9oDjEM3H
— LOI Women (@LoiWomen) September 20, 2025
With the haunting memory of their 6-0 All-island defeat at Tolka Park back in July still fresh in the memory, Sean Russell's charges showed no fear bravely setting up his team to press high from the off. And the risk almost turned to reward moments later when they won the ball back off Nia Hannon and freed Katie Lawlee down the left.
Just like McLoughlin before her, Lawlee opted to cut inside only to see her shot blocked but falling invitingly into the path of Madelyn Robbins. The Canadian-born Portuguese forward, with the goal at her mercy, shot straight and the grateful Amanda McQuillan.
In a breathless opening quarter of an hour the hosts eventually got in front following some penalty box pinball. Shels skipper Pearl Slattery initially saw her back-post header cleared off the line by opposing captain Jillian O’Toolem but Anthony was sharp in keeping the ball alive, recycling back out to Leah Doyle.
The left wing-back whipped in yet another devilish inswinging header that was half cleared yet again, allowing Anthony to head towards goal which eventually flicked home by McLaughlin for her first goal since March.
The league's top scorer Anthony was unlucky not to add to her side's tally against last week's FAI Cup semi-finalists just after the half hour mark as Liisa Tuomi opted to punch away yet another cross, but this time straight at the American who knew nothing about her deflected effort that rebounded off the foot of the post.
The visitors finished the half much the stronger and spurned a glorious chance to equalise when the impressive Robbins found herself clear on goal having held her run well to break the offside trap. But as she raced through on goal from slightly to the right, Robbins opted to cut the ball back towards Lawlee who blasted over, when she maybe could have been slightly greedier.
The break did nothing to halt the visitors' momentum, epitomised by their tip-off when teen sensation Madison McGuane took the ball ran straight at the heart of the Shels defence, eventually being stopped. Bella Flocchini was quick to react to the second ball but her volley was well collected by McQuillan again.
Much like the first half, this served as yet another wake-up call for the hosts and it was McLaughlin again who answered, picking the ball up in a pocket of space to the left, before turning and unleashing a thunderous effort that came crashing back off the crossbar.
There were worrying signs for the home side not just for the remainder of this game but ahead of the seasoning defining Athlone clash next week as Kavanagh’s milestone day ended on a sour note. She left the ground with her arm in a sling having put her body on the line to block Robbins' effort from just outside the area.
With the game on a knife edge and the visitors throwing everything forward to find what would have been a deserved equaliser, it was the home side who hit them with a sucker punch and could finally breathe a huge sigh of relief when Anthony bundled home her 16th of the season with less than a quarter of an hour remaining,
Having seen her first close-range effort sharply saved by Tuomi but unlike earlier the rebound came back off her standing foot and trickled over the line to secure all three points and set up a titanic title tussle against the town in Tolka Park next Saturday.
Shelbourne: Amanda McQuillan; Jess Gargan (Maeve Wollmer 84), Pearl Slattery, Nia Hannon, Leah Doyle (Megan Smyth-Lynch 78); Alex Kavanagh (Rachel Graham 59), Aoibheann Clancy; Lucy O’Rourke, Noelle Murray, Roma McLoughlin (Gabriella Del Pico 78); Mackenzie Anthony (Jemma Quinn 84)
Treaty United: Liisa Maria Tuomi; Grace McInerney, Clodagh Daly, Mara McCleary, Anna Rockett, Ciara Breslin; Madison McGuane (Amy Tierney 78), Jillian O’Toole, Katie Lawlee, Isabella Flocchini; Madelyn Robins (Gillian Keenan 59)
Referee: Alan Franklin
Later on Saturday, Athlone Town regained their place at the summit with a 3-1 win over DLR Waves.
The champions did it the hard way though, fighting back from conceding a 15th-minute goal to Leah Donnelly that had the visitors in front at the break.
Athlone's American contingent spearheaded the second-half fightback, Maddie Gibson equalising seven minutes after the restart.
Waves keeper Eve Badana made a series of good saves but the hosts' pressure eventually paid off when Kelly Brady hooked a superb volley over her shoulder to the net.
The Irish-qualified striker then made sure Athlone would go back on top with a second close-range finish two minutes later.
Elsewhere, Wexford came away from Waterford with a 2-1 win.
Republic of Ireland international Ellen Molloy put the visitors ahead in the 19th minute, cutting inside and bending home a fine left-footed effort.
Orlaith Conlon doubled Wexford's lead just before the break, and though Issy Walsh halved the deficit in the 66th minute, Wexford closed it out to stay fourth.
What a goal from Ellen Molloy! pic.twitter.com/pTOhVg0N2e
— LOI Women (@LoiWomen) September 20, 2025
Galway United hammered Cork City 5-0 to keep Athlone Town and Shelbourne in their sights.
Ceola Bergin slotted home a penalty in the 19th minute to get the ball rolling. Jamie Erickson (2) and Bergin again had the hosts four goals to the good at half-time, with Emma Doherty putting the cherry on top in injury time.
Bohemians battled back from two down to earn a point in their derby battle with Shamrock Rovers at Talllaght Stadium.
The Hoops were in control after Anna Butler's deflected strike and a Katie O'Reilly goal had them 2-0 ahead at the break.
But Bohs dug deep to get back in the game. Alannah McEvoy gave them a lifeline in the 62nd minute, with Hannah O'Brien getting the leveller nine minutes later.
Peamount United powered past Sligo Rovers 4-1 at Greenogue.
Sligo actually took the lead when Emma Hansberry slammed home a good ninth-minute finish.
However the Peas equalised through Sorcha Melia in the 28th minute and went through the gears on the turnaround.
Ellen Dolan grabbed a brace and substitute Ruby Gallagher notched another to give them the three points.
This finish from Ruby Gallagher 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/mjQ5mzdGPo
— LOI Women (@LoiWomen) September 20, 2025
