NINE & DANDY

Rach breaks record in another romp

RACHEL FURNESS was on cloud nine as she wrote her name into the history books to keep Northern Ireland’s 2023 World Cup hopes on track with a thumping win over North Macedonia.

Already level with legendary striker David Healy who scored 36 goals in 95 appearances for the men’s team, Furness (inset) eclipsed that tally with a memorable double at Seaview. The 33-year-old’s record-breaking goal came in the 35th minute, Simone Magill teeing up the Liverpool midfielder to steer a left foot shot into the bottom corner.

It was a clinical finish and a special moment for Furness who headed home her second and Northern Ireland’s eighth three minutes from time to take her international tally to 38 goals in 82 caps.

Kirsty Mcguinness also bagged a hat-trick, Rebecca Holloway a brace and Magill and Kerry Beattie fired home late on as Kenny Shiels’ girls stayed in the hunt for a play-off spot.

Victory propelled them up to second in Group D, three points above Austria who play their game in hand in Luxembourg tonight while England face Latvia.

Mcguinness opened the scoring with a shot off the post in the 11th minute before Holloway added a second with a swerving effort from distance.

Three minutes after Furness’ landmark moment in the 35th minute, Mcguinness made it 4-0 with a clipped effort over stranded keeper Magdalena Lekovska.

Northern Ireland, fresh from last week’s 11-0 win in North Macedonia, added a fifth on the hour mark when Mcguinness completed her hat-trick with a tap-in from a Magill cross.

And it was 6-0 two minutes later when Holloway bagged her second, rifling in a Lauren Wade cross at the back post.

Magill, who twice rattled the woodwork, got the goal her display deserved in the 73rd minute, firing home before Furness added an eighth in the 87th.

Glentoran striker Kerry Beattie made it 9-0 in stoppage time with a poacher’s finish for her first international goal. NORTHERN IRELAND: Burns, Mckenna (Andrews 46), Mcfadden (Waitling 46), Nelson, Vance, Wade, Furness, Callaghan (Mcdaniel 65), Holloway (C Mcguinness 83), Magill, K Mcguinness (Beattie 70).

KIRSTY FOR GOALS Hat-trick hero Mcguinness (centre) is mobbed at Seaview last night ROUT Kirsty Mcguinness watches her second goal find net and, right, Simone Magill’s header rattles bar BY