CLIFTONVILLE Ladies and Lisburn Rangers go head-to-head on Sunday, June 30 in the final of the VBET Women’s Premiership League Cup decider at the Blanchflower Stadium, Belfast kick-off 3pm.
The Reds will be making a record fourth appearance in the decider, and will be looking to defend the trophy they lifted for the first time last year with victory over Sion Swifts Ladies.
Rangers, on the other hand, are continuing to impress in what is their maiden season in the top flight.
Not only have they made the final at the first attempt, but have also clocked up four wins out of four in the Premiership and sit level with Cliftonville and Glentoran Women at the top of the table.
Preliminary Round
Larne Women 0-4 Derry City Women
Derry City kicked the tournament off with a comfortable four-goal defeat of Larne at Inver Park. Ellie Redden broke the deadlock from the spot just before the half-hour mark, with further strikes coming after the break through substitute Chelsea Sheerin, Laura Connolly and a second of the afternoon for Redden.
Quarter-finals
Crusaders Strikers 2-1 Linfield Women
Glentoran Women 8-0 Derry City Women
Lisburn Ladies 0-6 Cliftonville Ladies
Mid Ulster Ladies 0-9 Lisburn Rangers
Holders Cliftonville hit Lisburn Ladies for six to kick off their defence of the trophy in style at the Bluebell Stadium, with Caitlin McGuinness helping herself to a hat-trick along the way.
Kirsty McGuinness opened the scoring on 19 minutes with a sweetly struck free-kick from just outside the area.
Fionnula Morgan bagged Cliftonville’s second midway through the first half in off the upright before, on the half-hour mark, Caitlin McGuinness knocked home her first of the evening with a low finish past keeper Zara Maguire.
Caitlin struck again on 52 minutes after intercepting a poor clearance from Maguire, with Carla Devine hitting a fifth not longer after that from close range.
The scoring was completed with just under a quarter-of-an-hour remaining with Caitlin’s hat-trick goal after she got her head to Katie Markey’s lofted ball.
Lisburn Rangers also won on the road, with a nine-goal haul against Mid Ulster Ladies at Stangmore Park.
Gracie Conway got Rangers off to a flying start with two goals in the opening five minutes, the first a header at the near post which she followed up with a composed finish after turning a defender and slotting home.
Molly Loughran added a third on ten minutes with a lofted finish from well outside the area before, four minutes after that, Conway bagged her hat-trick at the right post.
The scoring continued on 16 minutes when Helen Parker got her name on the scoresheet with a low driven finish from outside the area before, midway through the first half, Sophie Megaw added number six after a free-kick was knocked into her path on the edge of the box.
Mid Ulster were reduced to ten players eight minutes from the break when Teah Morton was dismissed for unsporting behaviour.
Substitute Cara Tumelty added to Rangers’ tally on the hour with a great strike from around 22 yards before Ellie-Mae Dickson capped a great night with two goals in the closing stages.
Her first, an 80th minute strike from just outside the six yard box, was followed up right at the end of normal time after she pounced on a poor backpass to roll the ball over the line.
Glentoran Women also got amongst the goals at home to Derry City Women.
Emily Wilson claimed the match ball with two first half finishes followed by a third not long after the break. She was joined on the scoresheet by Jessica Foy, Kascie Weir (with two), Kelly Bailie and Megan Neill.
But it was a much closer affair at Seaview as Crusaders Strikers came from behind to defeat Linfield Women by the odd goal in three.
Keri Halliday had given the Blues the edge on 19 minutes, a lead they held until midway through the second half when two goals in as many minutes from Caitlyn Hamilton and Amy McGivern tipped the balance of the tie in favour of the Crues.
Semi-finals
Cliftonville Ladies 3-2 Glentoran Women
Lisburn Rangers 3-2 Crusaders Strikers
Cliftonville booked their place in the final with victory over Glentoran Women at Solitude.
The Reds moved in front on six minutes when the ball fell for Caitlin McGuinness on the edge of the box to knock into the net.
Glentoran levelled eight minutes later when a Marissa Callaghan backpass was intercepted with Emily Wilson turning home the equaliser.
The visitors then seized the advantage just after the half-hour mark when Demi Vance beat Erin McAllister with a right-foot finish.
However Cliftonville equalised just before the break when Abbie Magee’s shot was turned into her own net by Emma McMaster.
Cliftonville’s winner then arrived on 59 minutes after Louise McDaniel got her head to the ball to beat Ashleigh McKinnon.
And it was an even more dramatic encounter at Crewe Park as Lisburn Rangers reached the decider for the first time with a dramatic stoppage time defeat of Crusaders Strikers.
Darcy Boyle opened the scoring for the Crues with a superb finish after seven minutes, but Gracie Conway and Molly Loughran struck for Rangers later in the half to give them the lead at the break.
And that was how it stayed until the 90th minute when Amy McGivern looked to have forced extra-time only for Cara Tumelty to unleash a wonder strike moments later to secure victory for Rangers!
The eagerly anticipated VBET Women’s League Cup Final will be played at Blanchflower Stadium in Belfast, on Sunday 30 June with a 3pm kick-off.
As part of the NI Football League’s new partnership with DAZN, the final will also be available to watch live and on demand across the world on the Global Home of Women’s Football.
Tickets are now available online from www.nifootballleague.com/tickets priced at £5 for adults and £1 for Under 16’s.
