The Cait and the good

Caitlin McGuinness became Cliftonville’s latest goalscoring centurion when she opened the scoring in last night’s North Belfast Derby at Solitude.

Her ninth minute opener in Cliftonville Ladies’ Sports Direct Women’s Premiership defeat of Crusaders Strikers was her 100th goal since joining the Reds in April 2021.

Having first made her mark alongside sister Kirsty at Linfield, Caitlin joined her sibling in signing for Sion Swifts in the summer of 2020 before the pair made the move to Solitude prior to the subsequent season.

Now team-mates with another of her sisters, Orleigha, Caitlin has been a regular on the scoresheet since first pulling on a Cliftonville jersey, with hat-tricks in both the 2023 League Cup Final and 2024 Irish Cup deciders particularly notable – although her most famous finish arguably came when she netted our Ladies team’s first ever European goal during a Champions League encounter with Benfica in September 2023 (below).

Friday’s landmark strike helped keep the Reds firmly in the Premiership title mix and, though they trail leaders Glentoran Women by eight points, they have played two fewer games than most of their rivals for the crown.

Monday, meanwhile, sees Cliftonville take a brief break from League action when they host the Glens in a rearranged County Antrim Cup tie at Solitude, where kick-off is at 8pm.