Page 20 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.30 2022-23

The new season got underway last Friday and the fledgling table is already showing signs of
familiarity.
Last season’s runners-up Glentoran have got off to a flying start and opened up with
an eleven-goal blast against Derry City. Demi Vance, Kerry Beattie and Emily Wilson all
scored twice along with Joely Andrdews, Emma McMaster, Nadene Caldwell, Caragh
Hamilton and an own goal. The Glens followed this up by beating Mid Ulster Ladies 6-0
in midweek, Beattie netting another brace with Hamilton, Caldwell, Vance and Samantha
Kelly adding the others.
Champions Cliftonville Ladies have also started strongly, defeating Linfield 3-0 on
the opening day thanks to two Marissa Callaghan penalties and Kirsty McGuinness, then
netting nine times against Derry City, Fionnula Morgan hitting a hat-trick with Callaghan
(2), Kirsty McGuinness, Vicky Carleton, Claire Shaw and Danielle Maxwell also on target.
Sion Swifts are the third team with two wins to their name, first winning 7-0 against
newly promoted Larne. Cora Chambers bagging a hat-trick along with Tara O’Connor-
Farren (2), Kerry Brown and an own goal. Chambers and Brown were again on target as they
then defeated the other newcomers, Ballymena Utd 6-0 with the other markswomen being
Chloe McGlade, Teegan Lynch, Lauren Haynes and Saoirse Healey.
Crusaders Strikers meanwhile got off to a winning start with a 3-0 success against
Ballymena Utd. Morganne Beggs gave P W D L F A Pts GD
the Crues a fifth minute lead which was GLENTORAN 2 2 0 0 17 0 6 17
doubled just ahead of half time by SION SWIFTS 2 2 0 0 13 0 6 13
Aimee-Lee Peachey. Darcy Boyle CLIFTONVILLE LADIES 2 2 0 0 12 0 6 12
rounded off the scoring with the third CRUSADERS STRIKERS 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 3
goal, twelve minutes from time. LISBURN LADIES 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 7 1 1 -6 0
MID ULSTER LADIES
The other match on the opening
LINFIELD LADIES 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 -3
day finished with honours even as LARNE WOMEN 1 0 0 1 0 7 0 -7
Lisburn Ladies and Mid Ulster Ladies BALLYMENA UTD WOMEN 2 0 0 2 0 9 0 -9
battled out a 1-1 draw. Stacey Murdough DERRY CITY 2 0 0 2 0 20 0 -20
gave Lisburn the lead after eight
Cliftonville 3 Linfield 0; Lisburn 1 Mid Ulster 1; Crusaders 3
minutes, an advantage they held until Ballymena 0; Glentoran 11 Derry 0; Sion 7 Larne 0. (Mid) Ballymena
deep into injury time when Eimear 0 Sion 6; Derry 0 Cliftonville 9; Mid Ulster 0 Glentoran 6.
McGarrity grabbed an equaliser for the
visitors.

This year’s Electric Ireland Women’s Challenge Cup competition will begin next month. The
draws for the preliminary round and the first round have been staged at the National Football
Stadium at Windsor Park.
Eight teams are set to compete in the preliminary round on Friday 12th May (all games
will kick off at 7.30pm) and the four winners of those matches will then advance to round one
on Friday 16th June (7.30pm starts).
1st Bangor Ladies are due to take on Valley Rangers Ladies in the tie of the Preliminary
Round, while the other matches will see Strabane Athletic Ladies face Lisburn Rangers
Ladies, Belfast Celtic Ladies up against Antrim Town Women and Lisburn Distillery Ladies
competing against Shorts Women.
Eight teams who received byes at that initial stage will compete in the First Round
along with the four triumphant teams. Bangor Ladies, Craigavon City Ladies, Comber Rec
Ladies, St James’ Swifts, Bloomfield, Donegal Celtic Ladies, Ballyclare Comrades Ladies and
Belfast Ravens are the teams who are already through. (irishfa.com)
news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk