Soccer

Airtricity National League: Three-way title race goes down to the final day

Shelbourne, Wexford Youths and Athlone Town all still in the running

Shelbourne's Abbie Larkin. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Shelbourne's Abbie Larkin. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
Mary Hannigan
Sun Oct 23 2022 - 13:57

For the second season running the SSE Airtricity National League title race is going down to the final day, Shelbourne, Wexford Youths and Athlone Town all still in contention ahead of next Saturday’s conclusion to the campaign.

After the results from the penultimate round of matches, Shelbourne are now top of the table thanks to the Abbie Larkin double that gave them a 2-0 win over Sligo Rovers.

That win put them a point clear of Wexford who needed an Aine Walsh goal in injury time to snatch a 3-3 draw away to Peamount United — a result that ended Peamount’s hopes of regaining the title they lost to Shelbourne on the final day of last season.

And, as fate would have it, Wexford and Shelbourne meet in a winners-take-all game at Ferrycarrig Park next Saturday, one that will be shown live on TG4 (5.20pm).

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Should that game end in a draw, though, then Athlone — two points adrift of Shelbourne — would enter the equation if they were to win away to Bohemians in their final game. That combination of results would see them go in to a title play-off against Shelbourne.

A 24th minute goal from Muireann Devanney decided their game at home to Galway and kept their title hopes alive, a phenomenal turnaround from last season when they finished third from bottom and 42 points behind Shelbourne. They also have their first ever FAI Cup final to come, Shelbourne their opponents on November 6 at Tallaght Stadium.

Should Shelbourne and Athlone finish level on points, their head-to-head record wouldn’t separate them — they’ve beaten each other 2-0 this season, and drew their other meeting. A play-off it would be, then.

But it’s in Wexford and Shelbourne’s hands — a win for either of them next Saturday, and the title is theirs.

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan is a sports writer with The Irish Times