REDS SQUEEZE PAST SION BY ODD GOAL IN FIVE
Cliftonville edged out Sion Swifts at Solitude in a pulsating five-goal encounter to remain four points behind Danske Bank Women’s Premiership leaders Glentoran with two games in hand.
Caoirse Doherty had given Sion the lead in the 12th minute but the Reds hit back with quickfire first half goals from Marissa Callaghan and Kirsty McGuinness, before Louise McDaniel added a third minutes after the break.
Kerryanne Brown pulled one back for the visitors six minutes later, but the Reds saw out a potentially important win to bounce back from last week’s loss to league leaders Glentoran.
Doherty almost opened the scoring for Sion but saw her shot well saved but was not denied minutes later when she gobbled up a loose ball following Michelle McDaid’s cross.
Erin McLaughlin almost doubled the lead five minutes later and the Reds then woke up; Callaghan and then McGuinness taking their chances in the space of four minutes to turn the game on its head.
McDaniel added a third moments after the restart from a close-range finish following a short goal kick, before Brown tucked away a McDaid cross to halve the deficit - but the Reds saw the game out.
Cliftonville Ladies: Norney, White, Burrows, Moran, McKimm, Caldwell, McDaniel, C. McGuinness, K. McGuinness, Davis, Callaghan subs Morgan (not used), McConnell (not used), McHenry (replaced Caldwell 68), Montgomery (not used), Weatherall (replaced McKimm 70)
Sion Swifts Ladies: Callaghan, Neal, McCarter, Burns, Crompton, O'Donnell, McDaid, McLaughlin, Brown, C. Doherty, Donnan subs McGonagle (not used), Chambers (replaced O'Donnell 70), O'Neill (replaced C. Doherty 84), T. Doherty (not used), McElhinney (not used)
Substitution 
Substitution 
