The race for the Danske Financial institution Ladies’s Premiership title has taken a twist after Glentoran Ladies put an abrupt finish to Cliftonville Girls’ 100% file.
A dramatic 3-1 comeback victory for the Glens towards their title rivals has minimize the Solitude women’ lead on the high of the desk to seven factors with a sport extra performed.
Now, with a sequence of rearranged video games to be accomplished earlier than the league splits, the defending champions should put collectively a profitable streak of their very own and hope that the Reds slip up someplace alongside the road if they're to win a 3rd successive title.
The character wanted to try this was in proof as Glentoran fought from a purpose down to assert victory.
A largely uneventful first half gave no trace of what was to come back after, with a disallowed purpose denying the Glens the lead earlier than Toni Leigh Finnegan put Cliftonville in entrance throughout the subsequent minute.
An outstanding leveller from Nadene Caldwell was shortly adopted by Emma McMaster turning the sport on its head, earlier than Caragh Hamilton then settled issues in harm time.
It had been a troublesome bodily contest from the outset, with contrasting types at slight odds with one another including considerably to the leisure.
Glentoran had been very a lot possession-focused whereas Cliftonville principally took a extra direct method.
The north Belfast aspect needed to substitute goalkeeper Nicole Adams lower than half an hour in after aggravating an harm when kicking the ball clear, as Shauna Murphy entered in her place.
That each one merely led right into a dramatic second stanza, sparked simply earlier than the hour when Joely Andrews pounced to place the ball over the road following Kerry Beattie’s free kick, however the referee judged that she had knocked the ball out of Murphy’s fingers.
Instantly Cliftonville went on the assault, gained a nook and Finnegan was available to fireside residence on the far aspect of the six yard field.
The east Belfast aspect had to reply to have even the faintest hope of maintaining the title race alive, and after a nook of their very own got here out to Caldwell, she directed a surprising strike into the highest nook from 20 yards.
With momentum from that the Glens poured ahead, gained a free kick on the fitting and when Andrews despatched the ball again into the goalmouth, McMaster bundled residence from nearly on the goalline.
The agony was piled on Cliftonville when Grace McKimm misjudged a go again to Murphy, Hamilton nipped in and rounded the goalkeeper earlier than rolling the ball into the web.
Elsewhere, Sion Swifts Girls smashed eight targets previous Derry Metropolis Ladies, with Cora Chambers grabbing a hat-trick. Kerry Brown, Aimee Neal, Caoirse Doherty, Naomi Donnan and Kelly Crompton additionally discovered the web to assist them transfer degree on factors with Linfield Girls in fourth place.
Emily Wilson scored twice both aspect of a Sharagh Murphy equaliser in Crusaders Strikers 4-1 win over Mid Ulster Girls. Leontia McVarnock and Amy McGivern additionally netted within the second half.
◊The Irish FA Ladies’s Problem Cup committee is about to fulfill tonight to resolve on the protests lodged by each Cliftonville Girls and Linfield Girls after their Quarter-Last assembly 10 days in the past.
The Reds are alleged to have fielded two ineligible gamers whereas the Blues are accused of itemizing greater than the permitted 5 substitutes on their team-sheet.
RESULTS: Crusaders Striekrs 4 mid Ulster Girls 1, Glentoran Ladies 3 Cliftonville Girls 1, Sion Swifts Girls 8 Derry Metropolis Ladies 0.