Women's Premiership League Cup

WOMEN'S PREMIERSHIP LEAGUE CUP PREVIEW

07 Jun 2022
football

The Women's Premiership League Cup quarter finals take place on Wednesday night as the competition returns after a three-year absence.

Current holders Glentoran Women kick off their defence at home to Cliftonville Ladies in the tie of the round.

There is also a derby in the North West as Derry City Women welcome Sion Swifts Ladies to the Brandywell and in Belfast, Crusaders Strikers host Linfield Ladies while Lisburn Ladies travel to Mid Ulster Ladies.

All games get underway at 7.45pm.

Crusaders Strikers vs Linfield Ladies, Greenisland 3G
Both these sides have been on a similar footing this campaign – the Strikers are two points and one position better off than Linfield Ladies, with both eyeing potential cup glory this campaign.

Crusaders Strikers lost two cup finals last season and will be aiming of silverware, but they needed a late Julie Nelson equaliser to rescue a point at home to the Blues in their league meeting earlier in the season.

This is going to be a close one to call but the winner will fancy their chances of going all the way to the final.

Derry City Women vs Sion Swifts Ladies, Brandywell
Sion Swifts Ladies – beaten finalists in 2019 - will be looking to bounce back from their league defeat at home to Crusaders Strikers last week.

They face a second trip to Derry City Women in the space of two weeks having triumphed 3-0 at the Brandywell in their Danske Bank Women’s Premiership clash.

The Candystripes beat Sion 1-0 at the Brandywell in an early-season meeting last campaign and three of the last five meetings have seen the sides separated by just one goal – expect a similarly close-fought match this time.

The winners will face the victors of Crusaders Strikers vs Linfield Ladies in the last four.

Glentoran Women vs Cliftonville Ladies, Ashfield Boys 3G
The Glens – competition holders - pipped Cliftonville Ladies to last season’s league title and these two sides, packed full of Northern Ireland internationals, look set to go toe-to-toe again this campaign.

Cliftonville Ladies have won all seven league games to date while Glentoran Women are five points further back – having lost by three goals at Solitude last month and been held in a league clash at Sion Swifts Ladies.

The East Belfast side have lost just twice in their last 15 meetings against the Reds, but of which came at Solitude.

With 41 goals across the last nine meetings between the sides, expect another end-to-end encounter.

Mid Ulster Ladies vs Lisburn Ladies, Mid Ulster Sports Arena
The two newly-promoted top-flight teams clashed last week as a Sara Stevenson hat-trick propelled Lisburn Ladies to a 4-2 win at Mid Ulster Ladies.

They now meet again a week on and both will be aiming for a spot in the semi-finals, which would pit them against the winner of Glentoran Women vs Cliftonville Ladies.