Peamount United vs. PSG Last-32 UEFA Womens Champions League

That miracle isn't going to happen now...

PSG's other substitute Cindy Thomas races onto a through ball, she checks with the lineswoman for the offside flag but it never comes and as the ball bounces up for her she half volley's the ball into the top corner of the far post with a truly sublime finish.

Moments later the referee Austra Kance blows for full time.

Peamount may be deflated but for 65 minutes they were the better of their professional counterparts.

Eileen Gleeson's side can take solace in the fact that, while they lost 2-0, each and every one of the 14 girls involved put in a superb performance that they can be proud of.

Linda Meehan can hardly be blamed for either of the goals while Sinnott, Murray, Byrne  and Duggan worked tirelessly at the back.

Quinn was superb until tirdness kicked in and she was aided by O'Gorman, McGlone, Roche, and Comerford before Jenkins, McGlone, and Russell all made telling contributions when coming on.

Special praise has to be reserved for Sara Lawlor who never stopped running and working for her team and if PSG did not have two centre halves of the quality of Rubio and Lepailleur at the back the game may have ended differently.

A superb night for Irish football and for Peamount, despite the loss.

PSG, defending champions of the Coup De France, look like they think they have done enough here tonight. They have taken control of midfield and the Peamount defence is almost camped permanently on their own penalty box.

Saying that, Sara Lawlor still provides a dangerous out ball and if it were not for a few tight offside decisions the striker could easily have had a night to remember here.

As I say that she races through again...and yet again the lineswoman raises her flag. She may have got most of the decisions right tonight but she definitely got that one wrong. Lawlor was on side by a full two yards.

Rubio and Lepailleur are staying tight to the centre forward as much as they can and a last chance slide by Rubio denies Roche a superb through ball.

With the game moving into injury time a tired Peamount team need a miracle...

GOALL!!!!

PSG have taken the lead. Peamount's tiring legs are catching up on them with PSG not in almost full control of the game. Susan Byrne, a colossus with each of her defensive team mates can do nothing as the fresh legged substitute latches onto a loose ball outside the box to shoot home.

Unfortunately for Peamount the ball takes a deflection off Louise Quinn before nestling in the bottom corner with Meehan stranded.

Colon-Pelagie immediately runs to celebrate with her team mates in the dug out.

It's a blow and with PSG looking stronger as the game goes on, the Pea's are really up against it now. They will need to dig deep to take a 1-1 draw out of this game but they'll have to do something as the clock closes down as PSG will be heavy favourites for the return leg.

Just as in the first half Peamount have soaked up the early pressure and have started to hit PSG on the break.

Laure Bollueau picked up a yellow card for a cynical challenge on Stephanie Roche but the resulting free kick is easily cleared.

Mere moments later and Roche's wonderful through ball finds Lawlor in space.

She races onto the ball as her speed carries her awat from the ever present Lepailleur with Pons racing from her goal to try and save her team from going 1-0 down.

A heavy touch from Lawlor saves her team...

The crowd in Tallaght is a hugely impressive 2,109, and that probably doesn't include the free loaders like myself!

PSG, as they did in the first half, are dominating the opening exchanges once again. Jessica Houara's influence is growing on the game and the French No.11 goes close with along range effort.

But just to show that they are not out of it yet, Peamount break very very quickly...

Substitute Julie Ann-Russell goes on a great run and tears into the box, her perfect cross is met by Roche whose goal bound effort is deflected away. PSG were very lucky there.

The second half has started off slowly with Eileen Gleeson, the Pea's manager, eager to get some fresh legs onto the pitch.

She obviously feels the exertions of the first half will impact upon her team as the half wears on with many expecting the full professional side of PSG to force the game.

Rachel Jenkins takes to the pitch on 55 to replace Wendy McGlone in midfield and you can almost see the superior physicality of PSG start to take control of the game.

The second half kicks off and Peamount immediately break as Quinn dispossess Poulain in midfield and slides the ball to Lawlor.

The pacy striker's through ball for McGlone is a poor one though.

This is exactly what the Irish side would have wanted and they have set their stall out for the second half very early indeed.

Ruth Comerford seems to have taken a knock and is replaced by Julie Ann Russell who takes up a berth on the right side of midfield.

Peamount's midfield seem to have gotten to grips with PSG's constant changeover from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2 by turing into a solid 4-4-1-1 that Giovani Trappatoni would be proud of.

Unfortunately for the Iriah manager he does not posess a player with the same kind of presence as Louise Quinn who has really been a rock for her team.

While Lawlor's constant movemnet provides an out ball for the Pea's every time they get on the ball, Quinn is constantly patrolling midfiled like the Roy Keane of old and is never far away when her team mates need a helping hand.

If both of the Pea's undoubted first half stars, Lawlor and Quinn, can keep up this level of performance against the professional outfit of PSG in the second half the Dublin side may sneak a goal to bring to the away leg in Paris next week.

Just to demonstrate her growing influence on matters, Lawlor races onto a lazy back pass by Rubio...

Pons charges off the line and her clearance is blocked by the diminutive striker and the ball sails goalwards....

Agonizingly it glances off the cross bar and over.

Peamount are getting closer and PSG who looked so composed in the opening stages are beginning to look very nervous.

This is a really interesting and absorbing game in Tallaght.

After a nervous start, Peamount are taking the game to their exhalted opponents and are looking more and more dangerous as the game goes on.

Lawlor up front has been a revelation and her movement and work rate across the PSG backline is causing the Frenchside problems.

Just to show how dangerous she is, Lawlor switches to the right and Rubio lets her go. The little pony tailed striker immediately picks up a loose ball and ghosts past the French centre half's outstretched legs, other strikers would have gone down, and forces Pons to dive smartly at her near post to give away a corner.

The resulting set piece is delivered into the box with laser like precision by Steph Roche and somehow Louise Quinn heads over from under the bar.

The Irish midfielder does everything right, she holds off her marker and beats the 'keeper easily and then heads down but the power of the header takes it sailing over the bar!

A big let off for PSG and as the game goes on it looks like the French side are already playing for a draw and trying to catch Peamount on the break, but only if the opportunity is solid.

Linda Meehan is forced into a fine save at her near post after Aureile Conforti breaks through two tackles to fire home.

Perhaps nerves are getting to the better of some of the Pea's because as PSG exert more pressure Peamount are giving the ball away very cheaply in midfield. It is causing them problems as PSG keep looking for Debonne on the right side of midfield.

The French player is very impressive and she seems to read the game beautifully as she keeps turning PSG's 4-4-2 into a 3-5-2 that is causing plenty of problems down her flank.

And as quick as a flash Stephanie Roche latches onto a loose ball and immediately plays the ball into the space where Debonne should be.

Lawlor races onto the ball like a greyhound but once again Lepailluer is forced to make a last ditch tackle to prevent the goal chance.

PSG are slightly the better side in these early stages, but Peamount look dangerous on the break and Lawlor will eventually get through.

Peamount obviously feel that PSG are vulnerable at the back as they are repeatadly looking to release Sara Lawlor down the flanks. The lone striker has bags of pace with the composed Lepalleur and staying tight to the pony tailed forward.

PSG are dominating the early proceedings and a fortunate offside call as Dali races through the Pea's defence saves the home side from perhaps conceding the opening goal.

Dali looks very good indeed.

Both sides have lined out in traditional 4-4-2 formations with the french side trying to stroke the ball around the back.

Aine O'Gorman pounces on a loose ball and Lepallier is forced to take the Doncaster Belle down as early as the first minute.

The resulting free kick from Byrne is disappointing but it shows both team's early intentions.

Teams:

Peamount:

Meeham (GK), Sinnott, Murray, Duggan, Byrne, Quinn, McGlone, Lawlor, Comerford, O'Gorman, Roche

PSG:

Pons (GK), Bolleau, Lepallier, Delannoy, Debonne, Houara, Pizzala, Poulain, Rubio, Dali, Conforti

The festivities are about to end. The two sides take to the pitch in what is really an historic night for Irish football.

Much has been made of Shamrock Rovers phenomenal qualification for the Europa League and this game here tonight is equally as important for the future of Irish football.

The two teams represent all that is good about womens football in their respective countries and this game will surely go down as one of the highlights of Irish football regardless of the result.