SSE Scottish Women's Cup
Huntershill, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow
Sunday, August 11, 2019

WEST PARK UNITED... 0

CELTIC... 16
(McGovern 5, Giard 4, McBrearty 2, Craig, Ewens, Smart, Donaldson, Crosbie)

CELTIC cruised into the last 16 of the Scottish Cup after a sweeping victory in the pouring rain away to lower league side West Park United.

The Hoops ran out 16-0 winners against the SWFL2 West club, with Kathleen McGovern bagging five, Josephine Giard returning to scoring form with four goals and new signing Cara McBrearty claiming a brace, while Chloe Craig, Sarah Ewens, Katherine Smart, Rachel Donaldson and Claire Crosbie completed the rout.

It was Celtic's seventh win in a row and sets them up for a tough game this weekend against league leaders, Glasgow CIty.

The Hoops took only seven minutes to get off the mark against West Park. Donaldson was brought down in a dangerous position near the area, and Craig proved strongest in converting Ewens’ free-kick inside the busy box. Eleven minutes later, McBrearty marked her return with a bang when she picked up the ball in the middle of the park and without hesitation shot on sight.

Giard began her tally on the 26th after a brilliant passage of play from Celtic. McBrearty drove down the left to find McGovern in the box, and with her back to goal, she put it on a plate for Giard finished confidently, and the German netted her second shortly afterwards, cleverly sending her effort in off the post.

The Hoops made it five before the break, with Katherine Smart celebrating her first goal in the Hoops on the 42nd minute with a confident shot from distance.

Already comfortable, the Celts really clicked into gear in the second half and commenced a ruthless scoring spree shortly after the restart, beginning with McGovern on the 48th. Giard went close to an early hat-trick seeing her shot palmed away, but McGovern reacted quickly to bury it and make it 6-0.

Seconds later, Ewens pounced to convert another rebound as Giard again went close. The intense Celtic pressured continued to mount, and another minute later, McGovern headed in as McBrearty turned provider.

Donaldson opened her 2019 account on the 52nd minute, finding the net from 25 yards and five later, McGovern completed her second hat-trick of the season, stabbing home a ball into the box from Kodie Hay, with Giard also completed her hat-trick on the hour mark.

McBrearty brought the scoreline to 12-0 with her second as she shot across goal before Donaldson’s headed ball met the head of McGovern for the striker’s fourth.

Giard also claimed her fourth linking up McGovern on the 77th and five later the latter claimed a brilliant fifth. With four minutes left to play, Crosbie grabbed her first goal since February’s League Cup victory at Dundee United, scoring from close range and ending the 16-goal run.

With the draw taking place on Wednesday, attentions now turn to Celtic’s league clash with Glasgow City this Sunday, as the Hoops prepare to travel to Petershill Park.

CELTIC: Cunningham, Black, Hodges, Craig (O’Neill), McBrearty (McCulloch), Donaldson, Clark, Smart (Crosbie), Ewens (Hay), Giard, McGovern.
Subs: Keenan, Logan

Sweet 16 as Hoops cruise into Scottish Cup last 16