Cliftonville came through Wednesday’s fixture at Derry City with a 3-2 victory to cut leaders Linfield’s advantage to five points but from a game more.
Although it was the Candystripes that broke the deadlock when Emma Doherty sent a teasing ball into the path of Leah McDaid to finish, Carla Devine soon equalised with an outrageous looping shot from outside the box
She would add her second of the night from a Chloe Orr cross to put Cliftonville in front, after which Emma McMaster fired home with Derry unable to clear their lines.
City pulled one back after the interval through McDaid’s second and might have levelled at the death, had their free kick not been hit over the crossbar.
Sion Swifts sank bottom of the table visitors Portadown 9-1 as Aimee Macken hit a hat-trick.
Michelle McDaid’s inviting cross was headed home at the back post by Mackin early on, with the scorer then setting up Hannah Ward to double the lead after only 10 minutes.
Ally Canning got to the byline and picked out McDaid to fire home, Emma Harpur struck from 25 yards and just before half-time Mackin raced clear to rifle home her second.
Portadown pulled one back when Marisa de Silva’s through ball was expertly finished by Amy McAllister but the five-goal lead was quickly restored when McDaid got her second of the game reacting quickly to finish on the hour mark.
Ebony Leckey marked her senior debut for Sion with her first goal at this level, Ward got her second of the game with a delightful chip and Mackin then completed her second treble in as many games when winning and converting a penalty.
Coming up next….
Sunday 9th September
Cliftonville v Crusaders (4pm)
Glentoran v Sion Swifts (4:30pm)
Monday 10th September
Portadown v Linfield (8pm)
