Ireland international Lucy Quinn’s late goal for Birmingham City wasn’t enough to salvage a point as the Blues fell to a 4-2 defeat away to Arsenal.
No fewer than eight Irish players lined across for the two sides - seven from the start - as Arsenal edged eight points clear of Chelsea in the title race.
Louise Quinn captained Birmingham, while Marie Hourihan, Harriet Scott, Jamie Finn, Lucy Quinn and Emily Whelan all started, while Eleanor Ryan Doyle was a second-half sub.
Ireland captain Katie McCabe started on the left of a front three for the Gunners before finishing the game at left-back as the Blues fought for an equaliser.
Birmingham’s sole win of the season had come in the reverse fixture at St Andrew’s in January thanks to goals from Libby Smith and Veatriki Sarri.
It had all gone precisely to plan for Arsenal in the first half as they went in two goals to the good thanks to strikes from Rafaella Souza and Vivienne Miedema.
Souza registered her first goal for the Gunners as she nodded home a Steph Catley corner to settle any lingering nerves after 14 minutes.
And Dutch striker Miedema made history as she doubled the lead on the half-hour to become the first player in WSL involvement rack up a hundred goal involvements.
Beth Mead looked to have put the game to bed 19 minutes from time as she slotted the ball under Hourihan from a Catley through ball.
A minute to forgot for Arsenal defender Laura Wienroither saw her give away a free kick before bundling the resulting delivery over her own line under pressure from Smith.
And another defensive error, this time from the Brazilian Souza, allowed Lucy Quinn to nip in moments later to lift the ball skilfully over keeper Manuela Zinsberger.
Birmingham pushed for an equaliser into injury time but it was Arsenal who’d have the final say as Lia Walti slipped in sub Caitlin Foord to squeeze in a fourth to seal it.
Elsewhere in the WSL, Grace Moloney kept a clean sheet for Reading as they moved into sixth with a hard-fought scoreless draw against Tottenham Hotspur.
In Saturday’s games, Megan Connolly supplied the cross for Maya Le Tissier to scored the only goal for Brighton against Aston Villa.
Ireland’s Ruesha Littlejohn started in midfield for the Villains, while Megan Walsh kept a clean sheet for the Eagles.
