Record-breaking Women's League Cup final won by two-in-a-row Cliftonville Ladies over Lisburn Rangers
In the search for back-to-back glory or a landmark senior trophy, Cliftonville Ladies finished with hands on the VBET Women’s League Cup prize.
Success yesterday at The Blanchflower Stadium arrived for the Belfast club over a Lisburn Rangers outfit experiencing a first taste of life at the top table.
Kirsty McGuinness broke the deadlock on 11 minutes and an injury-time second was scored by Cliftonville Ladies’ Victoria Carleton to help the holders retain the trophy.
Organisers at the Northern Ireland Football League reported a crowd of 1,102, described by officials as the biggest attendance for a women’s fixture in NIFL history.
Both clubs hit the frame of the goal during the showpiece occasion but Cliftonville Ladies finished for a second successive season celebrating League Cup silverware.
McGuinness’ early strike put her name in the competition history books as the first player to find the net across three different League Cup finals.
McGuinness’ sister Caitlin set up the goal after a ball in behind the Rangers defence by Carleton.
Carleton then capped off the scoring deep into added time to cap a flowing Cliftonville Ladies move that ended with an assist by Marissa Callaghan.
Cliftonville Ladies kicked off the final drawing on past experience to settle quickly and carve out an opening created by the McGuinness sisters but with Lisburn Rangers goalkeeper Emma Higgins alert.
The McGuinness sisters continued to cause problems for Rangers, with Louise McDaniel also creative in open play before firing against the crossbar off Abbie Magee’s cross.
Toni-Leigh Finnegan’s low drive from the edge of the area bounced off the upright and Higgins was on hand to deny the Cliftonville Ladies player soon after before a save off Kirsty McGuinness.
Higgins pulled off additional saves before the break and the Cliftonville Ladies pressure continued in the second half but with the Lisburn Rangers shot-stopper in superb form.
Lisburn Rangers regrouped for a late push and tested Cliftonville Ladies’ Rachael Norney off a corner-kick delivery.
Gracie Conway’s drive then found the frame of the goal after good work by Ellie-Mae Dickson.
Sophie Megaw also had a sight of goal for Lisburn Rangers in the search to save the final – but Norney reacted quickly.
CLIFTONVILLE LADIES: Rachael Norney, Kelsie Burrows, Hannah Doherty, Fionnula Morgan, Toni-Leigh Finnegan, Danielle Maxwell, Louise McDaniel, Caitlin McGuinness, Victoria Carleton, Kirsty McGuinness, Abbie Magee.
Subs: Erin McAllister, Aoibhe O'Neill, Carla Devine, Marissa Callaghan, Katie Markey, Orleigha McGuinness, Chelsea Irvine.
LISBURN RANGERS: Emma Higgins, Faye Loughran, Helen Parker, Erin McGreevy, Caoimhe Gelston Mulholland, Amy Burden, Ellie-Mae Dickson, Sophie Megaw, Kathryn McConnell, Molly Loughran, Daisy Conway.
Subs: Sophie O'Rawe, Anna Wilson, Cara Tumelty, Chloe Walker, Mia Little.
Referee: Stuart McClelland.