Peamount United emerged victorious in a thrilling Women's League of Ireland Premier Division encounter with Athlone Town at a blustery Greenogue Park.
Substitute Eleanor Ryan-Doyle's cool finish late on was enough to ensure the points remained in south Dublin, and simultaneously ending the champions' incredible unbeaten league run.
Following the pre-game pleasantries of a guard of honour for the recently crowned back-to-back league winners, it was straight to business, epitomised by the physical battle in the middle of the park as both battled for dominance.
Missing their talismanic skipper Karen Duggan, the in-form hosts, on a run of one defeat in their last seven started confidently, still riding high from their stunning 6-0 away win at The Markets Field.
It took until nearly a quarter of an hour before the first real effort of note.
The pacey Isabel Ryan burst down the right, having been released early by Izzy Groves. Having burst into the box and shaping to shoot, the Irish under-19 winger then cleverly cut back inside on her left and smashed the near post with a powerful effort that somehow rebounded to safety.
The imperious Aisling Spillane responded for her side, bursting through midfield with a marauding run, taking on all comers before shooting straight at Megan Plaschko who got down well.
After a decent spell of possession, the hosts should have taken the lead on the half hour mark. Ellen Dolan played a gloriously weighted through ball to Sadhbh Doyle as the attacking midfielder found herself through on goal. But once again American stopper Plaschko was on hand to keep the scores level, bravely denying the former PFAI Player of the Year.
Finishing the half much the stronger, the home side through the busy Sorcha Melia, spurned two glorious chances to take a deserved lead.
Firstly, Melia showed good movement to get on the end of Doyle’s square ball, but couldn’t find the finishing touch and moments later the former Shamrock Rovers academy player of the year went agonisngly close to finding the bottom corner but dragged her shot just wide of the bottom corner.
Following the long trip to Turner's Cross midweek, John Sullivan understandably rotated the squad. With the likes of Madie Gibson and Hannah Waesch not even on the bench following a hectic recent period, one constant remained in the shape of the league's top scorer Kelly Brady.
Again it was the home side looking most threatening as the Midlanders had both Plascko and the post to thank for the score remaining 0-0 as Melia was left wondering what she had to do to get the ball over the line.
Having seen a close-range effort again blocked at her feet, Melia tried her luck from distance and almost caught the keeper off her line, but her effort came off the outside of the post.
Sullivan emptied his bench in search of some fresh legs and with potentially one eye on the FAI Cup final in a couple of weeks, but failed to have the desired effect as the home side continued to pour forward.
With a quarter of an hour left the 2023 league winners thought they finally had the goal their attacking play deserved when substitute Eleanor Ryan-Doyle was on hand to nod home Sadhbh Doyle's cross from the right, only to see the flag raised for the narrowest of offsides.
Having huffed and puffed for so long, the door was finally blown down with three minutes remaining when Spillane played a clever ball in behind to find Ryan-Doyle who was clinical in her one-on-one slotting into the bottom corner to seal all three points.
Peamount United: Amanda Budden; Lauryn O’Callaghan, Lucy McCartan, Abbie Tuthill, Dearbhaile Beirne; Aisling Spillane, Mary Phillips, Sadhbh Doyle (Ruby Gallagher, 85’), Rebecca Watkins; Ellen Dolan, Sorcha Melia (Eleanor Ryan Doyle, 71’)
Subs not used: Ciara Glackin, Freya Healy, Antea Guvo, Mia McGonnell, Priya Doyle, Neala Byrne, Karla Moore
Athlone Town: Megan Plaschko; Kellie Brennan (Ciara O’Neill, 68’), Shauna Brennan (Muireann Daly, 68’), Natalie McNally (Lucy Fitzgerald, 61’), Kate Slevin (Danielle O’Neill, 61’)); Izzy Groves, Aoife O’Connor; Sarah Rice, Alexis Strickland, Isobel Ryan; Kelly Brady (Hazel Donegan, 61’)
Subs not used: Maria Matthaiou, Kayleigh Shine, Roisin Molloy, Emma Mooney
Referee: Glen Geraghty
Elsewhere Shamrock Rovers came away from Cork City with a 2-1 win.
Aine O'Gorman put the visitors ahead 12 minutes in, with Jaime Thompson doubling their lead eight minutes later.
Christina Dring gave the hosts a lifeline early in the second half but they couldn't find a leveller, even after Maria Reynolds saw red for the Hoops four minutes from time following a second yellow card.
Treaty United were denied all three points when Róisín McGovern struck for Bohemians in the 90th minute. Ciara Breslin put Treaty ahead in the 69th minute but they couldn't hold on.
DLR Waves came out the right side of a five-goal thriller away to Sligo Rovers.
Neema Nyangasi put DLR ahead in the fourth minute, but Emma Hansberry (34) and Paula McGrory (48) turned it around for the Bit O'Red.
DLR however responded in kind. They equalised through Michelle Doonan in the 50th minute, and after Sligo's Katie Melly was sent off on the hour mark, Michelle Doonan bagged the winner ten minutes from the end.
Shelbourne enjoyed a hardfought 2-1 victory over Wexford.
Mackenzie Anthony broke the deadlock 25 minutes in for Shels, with Ellen Molloy striking back seven minutes later.
Aoibheann Clancy restored Shels' lead before half-time and that's how it stayed.
Galway United eased to a 3-0 success against Waterford.
Emma Doherty notched a brace and Amanda Smith put the cherry on top as Galway stayed third, six points off second-placed Shelbourne.
