Finn Harps women share the spoils with Shelbourne in their first senior match

Finn Harps took a point in what was a historic first League of Ireland Women’s Development League match for the club in a draw with Shelbourne at Finn Park.

A fancied Shelbourne team, whose senior team were runners-up in last year’s Premier Division, took the lead just before half-time through Madeleine McKinley, but two goals in quick succession after the restart through Sarah Mulvaney Kelly and Mollie Page had the hosts in front.

But a Lara Whelan strike on 65 minutes levelled the game again as the sides shared the spoils in Ballybofey.

Dessie McGlinchey’s youthful side had to be patient as the visitors had the first couple of chances. Claire Diver had to gather as Cathy Hackett tried to get on the end of a Sadhbh Hartley cross, while McKinley put one wide soon after.

Codie Walsh’s audacious attempt from a free kick near the halfway line stung the palms of Grace Keaveney, while Aislinn Coll tried similar from play, but it was held by the Shels stopper.

Aoife McDermott went close for the visitors, volleying over from a McKinley corner, while Whelan forced a diving save from Diver.

Most attempts were coming from range as defences did well, but the away side took the lead on 44 minutes as McKinley’s free curled in the wind and found the left corner of the net.

But five minutes after the restart, the Harps levelled, going from back to front and substitutes combining as Ella McHugh found Mulvaney Kelly on the left.

Her pace got her through, and she poked an effort towards the far corner, hitting the post before slotting in the rebound.

And they took the lead two minutes later, a cross from Rachel Friel was flicked on by Alannah Curran and just cleared off the line by Emily Kelly, but only to Mollie Page, who fired into the bottom left corner.

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Page almost had Mulvaney Kelly in for a third, but Keaveney was out quickly, before Shels got their equaliser.

It came after a bit of a scramble, which saw the ball fall to Whelan from 25 yards, and she fired high and in for the leveller.

Both sides searched for a winner in the final 20 minutes, Hartley firing wide from six yards, while Diver denied Sarah O’Neill from getting through, but a point apiece was probably deserved.

Finn Harps: Claire Diver; Freya Canning (Rocha McCullagh ht), Eva Blaney (Alannah Kee 71), Allannah Curran, Niamh Ryan, Aislinn Coll (Ella McHugh ht), Codie Walsh, Mollie Page, Rachel Friel; Olivia Maxwell (Sarah Mulvaney Kelly ht), Sarah McGuinness (Cliodhna Kelly 71).

Shelbourne: Grace Keaveney; Jade Flannery, Aoife McDermott, Emily Kelly (Caoimhe O’Brien 66), Robyn Shanley; Lara Whelan, Sarah O’Neill (Amy Harman 84), Ruby Phelan, Madeleine McKinley, Sadhbh Hartley, Cathy Hackett (Sarah McCaffrey ht).

Referee: John Coll