Shelbourne share the spoils with Rovers 

SHARE OF THE SPOILS: Shamrock Rovers return to the national league ends in a draw with Shelbourne. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

WOMEN’S PREMIER DIVISION 

SHELBOURNE 1 Jessie Stapleton 69 SHAMROCK ROVERS 1 Áine O’Gorman 57

Irish football’s latest Grudge Match ended in a form of truce as champions Shelbourne battled back to deny newcomers Shamrock Rovers a statement victory.

Rovers returned to the Women’s national league after eight years with a bang in the off-season, utilising their reputation and financial firepower to handpick an array of stars from rival clubs.

All six they snared from the double-winners were selected to start against their former club but it was one of their two home-grown U19 graduates – Jamie Thompson – that shone at Tolka Park.

Deservedly promoted to the line-up after coming off the bench last week against Treaty to bag a hat-trick, the trickster produced the spadework to tee up her captain Áine O’Gorman to break the deadlock 12 minutes into the second half.

Shels, who also came into the game having won their opening pair of fixtures, had been well in the game till then and got back on terms through their Ireland international Jessie Stapleton.

The defender departed Rovers three years ago when they were only fielding underage teams, flourishing into a player West Ham United have signed on a pre-contract in July, and she rose above former defensive partner Shauna Fox at the back post to head home Alex Kavanagh’s 69th-minute corner.

Both teams had shared chances in an absorbing contest watched by 676 fans. Although the Hoops began ablaze, it was Keeva Keenan who spurned the best opportunity to grab an early lead, smashing the ball over the crossbar when Amanda Budden parried a stinging shot by Megan Smyth-Lynch.

Noelle Murray forced Budden to claw away her half-volley while there were jeers aplenty at the other end when Abbie Larkin, who Shels announced as a re-signing before changing her mind, sliced her effort wide.

Thompson remained lively, sparking in the absence of Stephanie Zambra – who is out for several weeks with a hamstring injury – and it required Rachael Graham to steal the ball off her toe as she seemed poised to convert from close range on 35 minutes.

Ten minutes after the break, Kavanagh look certain to score, cushioning Smyth-Lynch’s square ball onto her right foot but couldn’t keep her volley down.

Then came the pair of swapped goals 12 minutes apart before Murray thought she’d nicked the full points in stoppage-time, only for the flag to be raised when she tapped home following a fumble of Jemma Quinn’s shot by Budden.

SHELBOURNE: C Maguire; M Pierce, P Slattery, J Stapleton, K Keena; R Graham (J Robertson 88), A Kavanagh; S Killeen (R Mucherra 64), N Murray, M Smyth-Lynch (K Letmon 90); K Hamric (J Quinn 64).

SHAMROCK ROVERS: A Budden; J Gargan, J Hennessy, L O’Leary; O’O’Mahony, A Kelly; A McEvoy (L Kelly 85), A Larkin, Á O’Gorman; J Thompson.

Referee: Alan Carey (Dublin).

Attendance: 676.