BIG TWO TO FIGHT IT OUT

Glens ease their way to Electric Ireland Women’s Challenge Cup final, but Linfield need penalty shoot-out win to join them

ON a night when the eyes of the boxing world were on matters at Windsor Park, two clashes between leading local teams in ladies’ football kicked off to determine who would fight it out for the Electric Ireland Women’s Challenge Cup Final on September 22.

The first semi-final, an all-belfast clash, between Cliftonville Ladies and Glentoran Women’s FC saw the Glens take an early lead

– Ali Mcmaster opening the scoring in the 6th minute before doubling her tally on 20 minutes with a quality strike that hit the roof of the net.

Cliftonville stuck to the task however, and pulled one back four minutes from the break when Niamh Connolly side-footed home from inside the six-yard box, only to see Glentoran restore their twogoal advantage through Caragh Milligan before the half was out.

Glentoran continued strongly after the restart, Rachel Rogan adding to their lead on 54 minutes and again with 15 minutes left on the clock to seal a place in the final for the first time with a comfortable 5-1 scoreline.

Meanwhile, in the second semi-final the current holders Sion Swifts, met the current league leaders

Linfield at

Moyola.

Despite the game being an entertaining one, unlike the Glens and Reds clash, neither side could conjure up a goal in either the 90 minutes nor the extra that was played.

That said, the Blues almost delivered the killer blow in the final minute of injury-time when a superb goal bound strike from Megan Bell from outside the box was brilliantly pushed away for a corner by the Sion Swifts keeper Molly Meehan to keep the game scoreless, taking it to a penalty shoot-out.

Sion Swifts beat Linfield Ladies last year on their way to lifting the trophy, but it was Linfield who took the plaudits this time. Kirsty Mcguinness delivering the final knock-out blow and Lauren Perry in goal making two vital shoot-out saves to see Linfield through to a final meeting with their Big Two rivals.

TACKLE Action from the semi between Linfield and Sion Swifts KIRSTY WORK Linfield’s Kirsty Mcguinness, scored to the winning penalty set up a final against rivals Glentoran, above IT’S ALL OVAL Glens players get the better of Reds pair