Going great Guinns

Crusaders Strikers 0-1 Cliftonville Ladies

Kirsty McGuinness netted the only goal of this evening’s North Belfast Derby as Cliftonville Ladies maintained their perfect start to the Danske Bank Women’s Premiership season.

The striker headed home Marissa Callaghan’s 62nd minute cross to get the better of Crusaders Strikers and extend the Reds’ lead at the top of the table to two points.

In a keenly-fought encounter, Niamh Connolly went close to scoring in a goalmouth scramble with just two minutes on the clock before Chloe Orr sent a volley over the top.

Crues goalkeeper Maddy Harvey-Clifford then denied Louise McDaniel ahead of the hosts wasting a glorious opportunity to break the deadlock when Mairead McCann blazed over from a promising position.

Julie Nelson was kept at bay by a smart Rachel Norney save towards the end of the first-half while, shortly after the turnaround, Connolly was off target after good work between Yasmin White and McGuinness.

The deadlock was broken just past the hour when McGuinness’ glancing header from Callaghan’s delivery found the net and, as Crusaders went in search of an equaliser, good defending from Abbie McHenry ensured that Lisa Armour was unable to advance into the area before Fi Morgan blocked a fierce Amy McGivern drive as a stern defensive effort from the Reds preserved the clean sheet necessary to take the derby honours.

Cliftonville: Norney, Orr, White (McConnell, 85 mins), Moran, Morgan, McHenry, McDaniel, Calaghan, K McGuinness, C McGuinness, Connolly (Weatherall, 69 mins). Unused subs: Welsh, Davis, Montgomery.