Ten-player Peamount and Bohemians played out an incredible 3-3 draw in a game that had pretty much everything, serving as a fitting way to end a thrilling 2025 league season.
In a relentless and dramatic encounter Ellen Dolan, who did the damage the last time the sides met at Dalymount with her winning brace, grabbed the first before Eleanor Ryan-Doyle put her side in cruise control. Hannah Healy got her side back in the game with a well taken finish before the break before Becky Watkins got her side's third.
But Amanda Budden's red card flipped the game on its head with Bohs getting two in quick succession through Alannah McEvoy and Hannah O'Brien to salvage a deserved point.
The final league game of the season always comes with the usual wave of farewells but this week felt particularly poignant as some massive game changers and trailblazers decided to hang up their boots.
And one of the biggest goodbyes came in the shape of former Ireland International Karen Duggan as she led her side out for the final time against FAI Cup Finalists Bohemians.
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— Peamount United Women (@PeamountWomen) October 11, 2025
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Following an emotional guard of honour, one could be forgiven that the occasion could slip into testimonial territory but that wasn’t the case as soon as the whistle went, epitomised by a thunderous coming together between Sarah Power and Ellen Dolan that drew loud gasps from the watchers on.
With the showpiece on the horizon Bohs boss Alban Hysa would have been forgiven for wrapping some stars in cotton wool, but instead went as strong as possible in one of the toughest tune-up’s they could have been faced with.
A breathless opening ensued at a chilly South Dublin, it took until just after a quarter of an hour for the clearest opening for either side as Bohs star midfielder Aoibhe Brennan shifted the ball onto her right and unleashed a powerful effort that landed on the roof of the net.
The in-form Peas - with just one defeat in their last eight and who just a week ago ended the Champions Athlone Town’s unbeaten run with a deserved 1-0 win, looked to end the season on a high and take another scalp and responded through Sadhbh Doyle who tried to hit the top corner from the edge of the box but, again, just sailed over.
Bohs began to get some joy down the right with the electric pace of Sarah McKevitt causing all sorts of problems. The latest of which was a pinpoint cross from her left winger Katie McCarn who just couldn't connect with her volley with the goal at her mercy.
And the visitors were made to pay just before the half hour mark the hosts got in front. Last week’s match winner Eleanor Ryan-Doyle drilled in a flat corner from the right, that was then brilliantly glanced home by Dolan with the ball bouncing in off the back post.
It was two just ten minutes later when Ryan-Doyle showed great poacher instincts to double her side's lead. Following a bravely blocked Mary Phillips strike, the former Durham striker was quick to react and smash home past the helpless Rachel Kelly from close range.
The thrilling opening period wasn't done just yet as Bohs halved the deficit just before the break. Alannah McEvoy, who had been working tirelessly trying to spoil Duggan’s party as the two went head-to-head, picked up a loose ball in the middle of the park before releasing a perfectly timed through ball to Hannah Healy, who made no mistake slotting past the onrushing Amanda Budden.
Minutes after the restart the home side restored their two goal lead following a good spell of pressure. Initially Ryan-Doyle broke the offside trap before flicking the ball over the head of Kelly, but just as the ball looked to be trickling over the line, Lisa Murphy appeared as if out of nowhere to slide and clear off the line.
But from the resulting corner, the ball wasn’t dealt with and fell kindly to Becky Watkins who smashed home into the near top corner.
The Pea’s made life hard for themselves just before the hour mark when Amanda Budden received a straight red card for bringing down McEvoy. As the former Peas player bore down on goal she cleverly put the ball one side of the keeper before trying to run the other but was clipped in her efforts, denying a certain goal.
With 20-minutes left Bohs made their player advantage count with two goals in quick succession. Firstly, McEvoy got the goal her impressive performance deserved heading home at the backpost to set up a grandstand finish before substitute Hannah O’Brien not only staked her claim for a starting spot in next week's final but also put her hat in the ring for goal of the season with an incredible bicycle kick to level things up.
Both sides kept going for the jugular but failed to find the finishing touch to what would have been the winner and with just two minutes remaining, all at Greenogue rose to their feet to applaud the departing Duggan with a rousing round of applause for the Irish footballing legend.
Peamount United: Amanda Budden; Lauryn O’Callaghan (Lucy McCartan, 70’), Karen Duggan (Chloe Moloney, 88’), Abbie Tuthill, Dearbhaile Beirne; Aisling Spillane, Mary Phillips, Sadhbh Doyle (Sorcha Melia, 70’), Rebecca Watkins; Ellen Dolan, Eleanor Ryan Doyle (Ciara Glackin, 57’)
Bohemian FC: Rachel Kelly; Sarah Power, Roisin McGovern, Lisa Murphy, Sarah McKevitt (Leiagh Glennon, 76’); Fiona Donnelly, Aoibhe Brennan; Katie Lovely (Hannah O’Brien, 62’), Hannah Healy, Katie McCarn (Katie Malone, 61’); Alannah McEvoy (Savannah Kane, 76’)
Referee: Mark Moynihan
Elsewhere, Champions Athlone Town lifted the trophy and finished their league season in style with a decisive 4-0 thrashing of Sligo Rovers.
Madie Gibson scored a brace, while the league's top scorer Kelly Brady and Hannah Waesch added the other goals for the Cup-final bound midlanders.
It was announced on Friday that interim manager John Sullivan has signed a two-year contract.
Sullivan previously worked as assistant manager for the men's team and stepped into the women's manager role last month after Colin Fortune resigned after one season in charge.
Áine O'Gorman capped off her competitive career by opening scoring at Tallaght stadium in the sixth minute to lead Shamrock Rovers to a 5-4 win over visiting Shelbourne.
Shels responded in the 18th minute and but were only briefly level as Rovers managed three goals in 11 minutes before half-time through Taylor White, Katie O'Reilly and Emily Corbet.
The Shels fightback began with the retiring Jemma Quinn finding the net on both sides of the break and Noelle Murray closed the gap to one in the 67th minute. Maddy McKinley managed the equaliser for Shels with 14 minutes left to play. But the Hoops won it through Anna Butler.
Third-placed Galway United claimed a 3-1 romping away victory over DLR Waves. Captain Lynsey McKey was first on the scoresheet with a tidy header on 14 minutes before Amanda Smith made it 2-0 two minutes later. DLR Waves fought back in what was a frantic few minutes of scoring with a Neema Nyangasi goal.
United extended their lead with a 60th-minute goal from Ceola Bergin and finish their season with three points.
Elsewhere, Kylie Murphy ended her Wexford career in style by scoring a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over bottom side Cork City at Ferrycarrig Park, and second-from-bottom Waterford came from two goals to beat Treaty United 3-2.
