Page 20 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.4 2022-23

Glentoran closed the gap at the top of the Danske Bank NI Women’s Premiership to
league leaders Cliftonville Ladies to just four points as they hit double figures against
Mid Ulster Ladies.
A powerful first half display saw the Glens race into an eight-goal lead, with Kerry
Beattie and Caragh Hamilton each netting doubles along with Imogen Lancaster, Joely
Andrews, Casey Howe and an own goal. After the break, Jenna McKearney and Shannon
Dunne added further goals to take Glentoran’s total to ten, whilst Mid Ulster grabbed a
somewhat bizarre consolation with a long range free kick taken by goalkeeper Lilie Crooks.
Crusaders Strikers stay three points behind Glentoran and strengthened
themselves in third position by running out 7-0 winners away to Derry City. Morganne
Beggs and Leah McEvoy put the Crues two goals ahead at half time and in the second
half, Emily Wilson hit a hat-trick and
P W D L F A Pts GD
she was joined on the scoresheet by CLIFTONVILLE LADIES 13 12 0 1 57 7 36 50
Leontia McVarnock and Beth GLENTORAN 13 10 2 1 51 9 32 42
Chalmers. CRUSADERS STRIKERS 14 9 2 3 38 19 29 19
LINFIELD LADIES 14 7 2 5 32 25 23 7
Glentoran will have an SION SWIFTS 13 6 2 5 30 20 20 10
opportunity to close the gap on LISBURN LADIES 14 2 2 10 14 43 8 -29
Cliftonville to a single point when they MID ULSTER LADIES 14 1 1 12 11 57 4 -46
DERRY CITY 13 0 3 10 2 54 3 -52
play away to Derry City next
Wednesday in the only match to take
Derry 0 Crusaders 7; Glentoran 10 Mid Ulster 1.
place.

Northern Ireland’s Women’s Under-15 development team have completed a four-team
UEFA development tournament in Bulgaria with a 100% record. They made it three wins
out of three when they defeated Faroe Islands 2-0.
After beating Montenegro’s WU15s 2-0 and a 2-1 win against the Bulgarians in their
opening two games, they were determined to deliver once again when they came up against
the Faroese, who had also won their opening two games, and they kept their best
performance to the last match.
Northern Ireland grew into the game in the east-central Bulgarian city and looked
dangerous in wide areas in particular. Kayliann Clayton came closest to scoring in the first
half, cutting inside from the left and getting shots away. The Faroe Islands keeper made
some fine saves in the first period, including denying Clayton twice.
The Faroese continued to look dangerous and the Northern Ireland defence had to be
alert to prevent them from getting in behind. Niamh Hassan, usually a central midfielder,
had to play out of position at centre back alongside captain Caitlin Carlisle after Ellie
McLarnon had picked up a knock.
Second half substitute Lucy Kelly made a big impact. The Faroes keeper pushed a
curling effort from Kelly on to the crossbar and then she hit the bar with a crisp strike.
However, Kelly made her mark by providing the assists for the two goals.
Northern Ireland opened the scoring on 68 minutes through another substitute,
Sophie Hutchinson. An excellent switch of play by substitute Morgan Beattie found Kelly
down the left and she cut the ball back to Hutchinson on the edge of the area - and her strike
across the goalkeeper nestled in the bottom corner. It was a fine finish.
The second goal came ten minutes later. Kelly’s excellent corner found Jessica
McGuinness at the edge of the six-yard box and she beat the keeper with a powerful header.
(irishfa.com)
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