Glentoran’s hopes of lifting a second-ever League Cup were dashed as Cliftonville ran out 4-0 winners in Sunday’s final.

In a repeat of last season’s final the two dominant forces in the women’s game faced off at Seaview with the first piece of silverware of this campaign up for grabs.

Two first half goals from Caitlin McGuinness put Brendan Lynch’s side in control at the break.

Glentoran did improve in the second half but failed to get on the score sheet with further goals by Kirsty McGuinness and Danielle Maxwell sealing a fourth League Cup triumph in-a-row for the Solitude side.

It was the Reds who made all the early running with Kirsty McGuinness clipping the crossbar with an inswinging corner inside two minutes before Abbie Magee was denied by Ahsleigh McKinnon in the Glens goal four minutes later.

Victoria Carleton then drilled an effort wide of the goal before Cliftonville broke the deadlock on 20 minutes.
It was Caitlin McGuinness who did the damage holding off Jess Foy to latch on to Maddy Harvey-Clifford’s long ball forward before slotting past McKinnon.

McGuinness grabbed a second six minutes later as Hannah Doherty sent her away down the left hand-side and the striker eased out Foy before lashing a powerful shot into the top corner.

The Glens regrouped at the break and started to impose themselves more on the game but they were struggling to really trouble Harvey-Clifford in the Reds goal.

With 22 minutes to go Cliftonville all but wrapped things up thanks to a composed finish by Kirsty McGuinness from Danielle Maxwell’s cross.

But there was worse to come for the Glens as Maxwell added a fourth on 82 minutes.

Cliftonville 4 -0  Glentoran

Starting XI: McKinnon, Loughran, Foy, McMaster, Keenan, Caldwell, Kerr, Vance, G Conway, Moore, Crompton.

Subs: Rogan, Butler, Bailie, Timoney, McCarron, McKearney, D Conway.