Shels boss Noel King lauds his back-to-back WNL champions

The Dublin site routed Wexford Youths to seal the title.

Shelbourne players celebrate after the SSE Airtricity Women's National League match between Wexford Youths and Shelbourne at Ferrycarrig Park in Wexford. Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Noel King hailed his Shelbourne side’s resilience after they sealed back-to-back Women’s National League titles on Saturday night.

In a winner-takes-all clash at Wexford Youths, there was only one winner.

Shels operated with a swagger at Ferrycarrig Park from the outset, absorbing a brief spell of pressure midway through the first half before hitting the front at the end of the first half through Jessie Stapleton.

Alex Kavanagh, player of the match Megan Smyth-Lynch and Abbie Larkin notched in the second half to complete a 4-0 rout.

It hurtles Shels to within 90 minutes of a double in next Sunday’s FAI Cup final against Athlone Town and they approach that decider in stellar form.

The season wasn’t always that fluid, for they suffered through the continued exodus of players to UK clubs, compounded by the zero sum of compensation they received.

A couple of wobbles offered hope for three of their rivals.

Peamount remained in the mix to regain their crown until the second last series, while success was still within the grasp of Wexford and Athlone on the final day.

Late July was the period the wheels almost came off in their title defence.

Again, in September, losses in consecutive matches to Peamount and Athlone, had others primed to pounce.

And yet, to see out the job with five straight wins, including the Cup semi-final, underscored the quality and experience King can rely on in his ranks.

“They’re amateurs but professionals in how they behave,” the former Ireland U21 boss said about his group after his second season in a row delivering silverware.

“I look back to when we won just two points from nine (in July).

“There were loads of different reasons for that, between players getting injured and transferred, but they’re not excuses because we still should have won those games.

“Against Sligo away, we were 2-0 up a minute before half-time. They got one back and beat us 3-2. That was remarkable.

“You could look back thinking that one might have cost us the league but there’s a resilience to the group.

“That’s five wins on a trot which is very difficult when you play the top teams.” 

Athlone leapfrogged Wexford into the runners-up berth by beating Bohemians 2-1.

The midlanders would have been into a title playoff had Shels draw in Wexford but Scarlett Herron’s winner at Dalymount Park 17 minutes from full-time crowned a spectacular league campaign for a side only three years in existence.

Peamount inflicted a 6-0 defeat on Galway in the westerners’ last game before they migrate into the men’s club from next season.

Áine O'Gorman’s hat-trick swelled her haul to 22 goals, confirming another golden boot for the Ireland international veteran.

Kate Mooney also bagged a trio in the 5-1 demolition of Sligo Rovers by DLR Waves while Cork City finished the season in style with their sixth victory.

They saw off basement outfit Treaty United 3-0 at Markets Field, thanks to goals from a brace by Aoife Cronin either side of Eva Mangan rattling the net.