Cliftonville are Premiership champions after hitting Glentoran for six

Cliftonville have won the Sports Direct women’s Premiership in style after demolishing closest challengers Glentoran 6-0 at Solitude.

Last season’s league-winners Glentoran were expected to give the Reds an almighty challenge and a win would have sent them to the top of the table with a single game left in the championship, however a first-half four-goal blitz from the north Belfast outfit settled the game and the title by half-time.

Cliftonville have now won all their 15 games so far this season and regain the trophy they won back in 2022.

In the early exchanges it was the Glens who seemed to settle quicker as they fought to defend their title

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Emily Wilson dispossessed Fi Morgan in the fourth minute and squared the ball to Chloe McCarron 12 yards out, but a last-ditch block from Kirsty McGuinness diverted her goal bound effort wide.

Soon after the Reds went close, Toni-Leigh Finnegan playing in Kirsty McGuinness, who flashed a low shot wide of the far post.

The Glens would pay for those missed opportunities as Cliftonville broke the deadlock on 20 minutes and never looked back.

Danielle Maxwell floated a pinpoint cross to Kirsty McGuinness at the back post and she headed the ball over keeper Ashleigh McKinnon and into the net.

Just six minutes later it was two, with September’s player-of-the-month Maxwell once again turning provider.

The winger found Caitlin McGuinness in the box, who struck home at the near post.

It was Maxwell who then got on the score sheet herself on 41 minutes, firing low into the far corner after Annie Timoney supplied the assist.

Maxwell was then assisting once more minutes before the break, clipping a delicious pass into Kirsty McGuinness, who beat McKinnon before stroking home.

Their fifth goal arrived just before the hour mark from the penalty spot as Callaghan confidently slammed home after Maxwell’s cross had hit McCarron on the arm.

Demi Vance went closest for the Glens soon after when she hit the crossbar with a free-kick as they tried desperately to fins a way back into the game, but it would ultimately be in vein.

Substitute Katie Markey added a sixth in injury time for the Reds to put the icing on the cake.

They will now turn their attention to Friday night’s game with Crusaders where they will be presented with the league trophy before looking towards completing a league and cup double when they contest the Women’s Challenge Cup final on Saturday 19 October against Lisburn Rangers at Windsor Park.