SUPERCUPNI ROUND-UP (GIRLS): Manchester United net nine plus Brighton reach final and Larne win
The girls’ section of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI produced another exciting day of action as round three came to a conclusion.
The action kicked off in the Junior section when Manchester United put nine goals without reply past Crusaders at Chimney Corner.
After a tight opening to the game, the English side soon exerted control and took the lead by way of a great strike from Daisy Booth.
Booth then had her second soon after as she latched onto a great through-ball before slotting past the Crues keeper.
This was followed by a third goal from Amelie Roberts, who scored with a looping long-range effort, before Booth grabbed her hat-trick just before half-time with a cracking effort that sailed into the top corner of the net.
United didn’t ease up after the break and scored from the penalty spot soon after before adding a sixth.
Ella Wardle then scored the seventh with a smart header, before Eva Bold rifled home number eight.
Halle Morley completed the scoring as she bundled home from a couple of yards out.
United will meet Surf Select after the Americans defeated Kilmarnock in a 5-4 thriller at Rathcoole.
In the section’s other game, Larne ran out 3-1 winners over FC United at Mossley.
In the Premier section, Shamrock Rovers topped group B with an emphatic 5-0 demolition of Northeast Rush at Mossley.
They will meet group A winners Brighton in Thursday night’s cup final, after the English side saw off Irish club Finn Harps 4-1 at Dixon Park
In the evening kick-off at Dixon Park, Northern Ireland finished their campaign on a disappointing note, losing to Manchester United 4-1.
Summer Hadfield knocked in a cross from close range for the opener for United on 21 minutes.
Grace Taylor then added a second just two minutes after the restart with a phenomenal drive into the top corner from all of 35 yards,
Six minutes later Northern Ireland had a lifeline when Abbie Smyth poked home a cross from the right, but it wasn’t to be as they conceded twice in stoppage time.
First through a scrappy Madison Vernon goal and then a super strike from Summer Hadfield from wide right.
RESULTS (GIRLS)
PREMIER SECTION: Shamrock Rovers 5 v 0 Northeast Rush (Mossley Park, Newtownabbey); Surf Select 2 v 2 Aston Villa (The Diamond, Rathcoole); Finn Harps1 v 4 Brighton and Hove Albion (Dixon Park, Ballyclare); Manchester United 4 v 1 Northern Ireland (Dixon Park, Ballyclare)
JUNIOR SECTION: Manchester United 9 v 0 Crusaders (Chimney Corner, Antrim); Surf Select 5 v 4 Kilmarnock (Cloyne Crescent, Monkstown); Larne 3 v 1 FC United (Mossley Park, Newtownabbey).