Bohemians opened up the SSE Airtricity WNL 2021 campaign with a win over Treaty United at the Oscar Traynor Centre in a match that produced eight goals.
This fixture produced nine goals in Bohemians’ last home game of the 2020 season, with Treaty stealing the three points with a 5-4 win.
This time round, it was Bohs who took all three points as Sean Byrne and his management team masterminded a dominant performance over the opposition.
The Gypsies opened up the scoring in the eighth minute when Treaty United were put under pressure from their own kickout. Bronagh Kane was first to react to a bad pass from the Treaty goalkeeper and slotted the ball home into an empty net for an early lead.
In what could be a record, Kane added hers and Bohemians’ second goal just 37 seconds later as Treaty were put under immediate pressure from the tip-off and Chloe Darby won the ball in midfield before a quick pass to Naima Chemaou saw the striker play in Kane, who composed herself before slotting past Ryan.
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Bohs grabbed their third in the 16th minute as a Paula Dorans throw found Chloe Darby. Her quick one-two with Abbie Brophy saw Darby break down the right before sending a pinpoint cross to Naima Chemaou in the box, she controlled the ball before volleying home a debut goal.
Bohemians were rewarded again for their pressure in the 37th minute as Kane won a free-kick near the sideline. Chemaou’s set piece found captain Sophie Watters’ run in the box. She controlled the ball before slotting a left-foot shot past Ryan.
Treaty pulled a goal back just before the interval – Aoife Cronin tapping home at the back post following a Rebecca Horgan cross.
The away side pulled another goal back 11 minutes after the break when an Emma Costelloe corner wasn’t dealt with by the Bohs defence, as the ball found its way to Shannon Parbat who fired home from close range.
Treaty United mounted more pressure on the Bohs defence and nearly grabbed a third goal when Cronin and Coombes clashed in the box, Cronin’s quick turn and shot looked destined for the net only for it to hit the post.
Bohs got back on track with the introduction of Aoife Robinson on the hour mark. The striker’s energy saw her dispossess a Treaty defender before playing a pass to Erica Burke and, when the ball fell back into the path of Robinson, she curled a right-foot shot into the top right-hand corner of the net, all within 36 seconds of entering the field of play.
With seven minutes remaining, Bohs hit their sixth goal when Watters won a free-kick near the corner flag, Chloe Darby swung in the resulting free which found Robinson unmarked at the back post to head home.
Darby went close to adding a seventh goal late on but her shot came back off the post, but it was all smiles for the women of Bohemians as they sit on top of the league after week one in the FAI WNL.
Bohemians: Niamh Coombes, Paula Doran, Jade Reddy, Isobel Finnegan, Chloe Flynn, Ally Cahill, Sophie Watters (Capt.), Chloe Darby, Abbie Brophy, Bronagh Kane, Naima Chemaou. Subs: Erica Burke for Chemaou (H/T), Annmarie Byrne & Erica Byrne for Reddy & Cahill (52), Aoife Robinson for Kane (59), Niamh Kenna for Finnegan (84). Unused subs: Katie Lovely, Claire Conlon, Ciara Mulligan, Courtney Maguire (GK).
Treaty United: Medbh Ryan, Alannah Mitchell, Shannon Parbat, Eve O’Sullivan, Jenna Slattery, Aoife Horgan, Gillian Keenan, Olive Gibson, Aoife Cronin, Alana Roddy, Aine Walsh – Subs Rebecca Horgan for Keenan (20), Emma Costelloe for Slattery (24), Ciara Griffin & Jesse Mendez for Gibson & Walsh (72), Michaela Mitchell (GK), Tara O’Gorman, Clodagh Doherty, Lauran Keane, Eimear Carey.
