LAGAN Harps and Glenree United advanced to the semi-finals of the Glencar Inn Cup on Thursday night.
Nakita Burke’s hat-trick helped Lagan to a 4-0 win over Fanad United while Glenree United came from behind to defeat Gweedore United 3-1.
Lagan Harps take on Lagan Harps Under-18s in one semi-final while Glenree United meet Bonagee United. Those games take place on August 10th.
BURKE TREBLE FIRES LAGAN THROUGH
Lagan Harps 4 Fanad United 0
NAKITA Burke (pictured above) was the hat-trick heroine on Thursday night as Lagan Harps swept Fanad United aside to move into the semi-finals of the Glencar Inn Cup.
Burke opened the scoring when she fired home from 25 yards after getting on the end of Caroline Gallagher’s pass in the ninth minute.
Fanad had their moments and Michelle Doherty got past Erin Coll before crossing for Aoife McDevitt, but her shot was well blocked by Tara Duffy.
The returned Mary T Cairns made a big impact on the game for Fanad and she hit the crossbar in the 37th minute before Saorla McGarrigle cleared the lines for Lagan.
Soon after, Burke thumped against the crossbar at the other end and only her early goal separated the teams at the half-time.
The influential Gallagher began to exert control on the game for Lagan, but Fanad still pressed and it took a good save from Amy Boyd to deny Natasha McElwaine.
Burke doubled the Lagan lead when she turned home a cross from Eimear McClafferty before Burke turned provider, her corner headed home by Michelle Kelly.
After some good approach work by Coll, Burke completed her hat-trick.
Best for Lagan were Nakita Burke, Caroline Gallagher and Michelle Kelly while Orla McGonigle, Mary T Cairns and Karen McElwaine were the pick of the bunch for Fanad.
GLENREE TURN TABLES ON GWEEDORE
Glenree United 3 Gweedore United 1
GLENREE United came from behind to get the better of Gweedore United.
Gweedore hit the front after just five minutes when Marion Sweeney took full advantage of some confusion in the Glenree rearguard.
Denise Doherty had a couple of chances shortly for the home side but was very unlucky not to get the equaliser.
Emer Boyce did get the goal to even the game in the 20th minute when she hit the net from eight yards out.
Doherty put Glenree in front with five minutes remaining in the first half when she broke through and rounded the ‘keeper to score.
Some strong defending from Niamh McDevitt kept Gweedore at bay during a time when Aine Coll, Emer Friel and Sinead Sweeney were attempting a comeback for the visitors.
With 15 minutes left on the clock Shannon McBride got the last goal of the game when she lobbed the ball over the ‘keeper from 20 yards.
Gweedore rallied, but dogged defending from Grainne Gallagher and Maria Carr saw the game out.
For Glenree, Julie Trearty, Danielle Doherty, Ann Marie Gibbons and Siobhan Sweeney were best with Sinead Sweeney, Fiona Roarty and Aoife Barr impressing for Gweedore.
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