Ballyclare v Greenisland (in blue) pictures by BOB HALL and EPHY McCONNELL
SION SWIFTS 1 BELFAST CELTIC LADIES 4
CHAMPIONSHIP leaders Sion Swifts would have gone into this one as favourites. However, on the night Belfast Celtic ripped up the form book by producing one of their best performances of the season to move into the semi-finals.
The Celts got off to a flier through a Niamh Adams strike on 12 minutes but then had to defend well as the hosts responded with much expected determination. Eventually Swifts’ efforts were rewarded on Zoe Green levelled on 57 minutes.
Refusing to give up, Celtic then retook the lead through Kerry Taggart on 64 minutes and then struck again on 68 minutes through skipper Sara-Lou McLaughlin to leave the home side a mountain to climb. Despite pressing hard, there was to be no further way though for the hosts and when Niamh Adams added her second in injury time it was game over and Belfast Celtic were in the last four.
CIVIL SERVICE LADIES 2 BANGOR LADIES 3
DEVELOPMENT side Civil Service gave Championship side Bangor a real battle at the Billy Neill Centre with the game eventually being decided by a 93rd minute winner from the Seasiders’ Amanda Morton, her second goal of the night.
Civil Service had started the game on the front foot and indeed took the lead with only 11 minutes on the clock through a well taken strike from Olivia Marshall. This seemed to shock Bangor into action and they then pressed forward in search of an equaliser which they eventually secured through an Emmi Wynne strike on 32 minutes.
Their hopes however that this would spur them onto victory were then given another setback as Marshall added a second for Civil Service with a deft flick just after the restart of the second half.
Bangor once again pushed back and again drew level this time through Amanda Morton following a Wynne assist on 59 minutes. After this, although Bangor pushed hard, a further breakthrough just wouldn’t come and indeed they themselves had a few very nervous moments as the home side looked dangerous on the break.
And so just as the dreaded penalty shoot out loomed large on the horizon, Bangor won a corner and, in literally the last chance of the game, the ball was driven home in a crowded penalty area by Morton for her second on the night. Elation for the visitors, despair for the hosts but they should draw comfort from what was a determined battling performance against senior opposition.
Greenisland goal celebration (above)
BALLYCLARE COMRADES LADIES 0 GREENISLAND WOMEN 6
WITH a 100% winning season behind them so far, Division One league leaders Greenisland would have gone into this one with a belief that they could secure a win but even they will have been surprised with the ease with which they brushed aside their Championship opposition.
Three up at half time through goals from Nicole Wheeldon, Saskia Love and Aoife Burgess, Greenisland left Ballyclare little option but to press forward in the hopes of getting something out of the game but this in turn led to gaps appearing at the back which Greenisland were quick to expose as further goals from Rachel Patterson (52 mins) a second from Burgess (58 mins) and an Aliyah Monthe strike on 83 minutes saw them romp home and secure a place in the last four.
BALLYMONEY UNITED LADIES 9 COMBER REC LADIES 1
AS with Greenisland, Division One side Ballymoney United would have probably gone into this one expecting a tough battle against a Championship side but as it turned out they romped home to secure their place in the semi-finals. Cleo-Neece Taggart was the star of this particular show netting on five occasions and she was ably assisted by Naomi McMullan (2 goals ) and Mia Constantinou (2 goals) with Comber’s sole reply coming from Carys Woods.
And so there we have it, the last four sides in this season’s Super Cup are two teams from the Championship, in Bangor and Belfast Celtic, and two from Division One in Greenisland and Ballymoney Ladies with the draw for the semi-finals taking place on Friday night.
