Linfield Ladies retain League Cup after beating Cliftonville at Seaview

Cliftonville started the game on the front foot as Marissa Callaghan saw her corner only half cleared by the Linfield defence on three minutes before the ball fell back to her but she could only hit her effort wide of goal.

Linfield were awarded a penalty on 19 minutes as the referee adjudged a Reds defender to have handballed following a corner up stepped the ever-reliable Kirsty McGuinness to fire the ball into the net despite Cliftonville keeper Caoimhe Callaghan guessing the right way.

Cliftonville equalised on 35 minutes as Orr ran on to a long pass before her cross-cum-shot looped over the despairing dive of Perry and into the net.

The Blues responded well and could have immediately retaken the lead as Megan Bell played in McGuinness, but she was denied by a superb reaction save from Callaghan springing across her goal like a cat to keep her side level.

Phil Lewis however did see his side regain the lead on 42 minutes as the impressive McDaniel was played through on goal before rounding Callaghan in the Reds goal before planting the ball into the empty net despite Megan Moran’s best efforts to clear it off the line as she slid across the line.

Linfield made it 3-1 in the first minute of the second half as McGuinness beat Moran out on the right before her cross picked out the head of Robson perfectly and she headed the ball into the net despite Callaghan getting a touch on the ball.

It was 4-1 on 74 minutes after the game fell flat for a period of team once again McCarron at the heart of the move as she linked up with Bell before her low effort took a deflection of Megan Weatherall before sailing past Callaghan as she rushed out to block the initial effort.

Cliftonville then created a good opportunity as Callaghan raced down the wing to cross for Joana Da Silva but the substitute couldn’t get a clean connection on the header as the ball bounced over Perry’s bar.