Scottish Women’s Premier League One
Sunday, September 1, 2019
K-Park Academy, East Kilbride

CELTIC… 4
(Keenan 11, O’Neill 30, McGovern 31 & 85)

STIRLING UNIVERSITY… 0

CELTIC moved up to second place in the league with an impressive 4-0 victory over Stirling University, in a game which saw Keeva Keenan and Rachael O’Neill score their first goals for the Hoops. And Kathleen McGovern continued her impressive scoring form with a double.

The Hoops started the game brightly and it took them just 11 minutes to open the scoring. Emma Black’s corner was cleared out to Keenan in the middle of the park, and after taking a touch, she unleashed a powerful shot that flew into the top right-hand corner of the net.

Five minutes later, Celtic had the ball in the net but McGovern’s effort was ruled out for offside.

Stirling University were struggling to cope with Celtic’s incessant pressure, and O’Neill made it 2-0 on the half-hour mark. The central defender cleverly side-footed a low shot into the net from a Black corner, and the Hoops had barely finished celebrating when it was 3-0.

Rachel Donaldson was the provider this time with a well-placed cross into the box to find McGovern. The striker spun past her marker and finished from a tight angle to emphasise Celtic’s dominance in the game.

With minutes to go until the break, Celtic went close again, as Keenan played Donaldson in down the line and she, in turn, found Sarah Ewens, and she was unfortunate to see her effort come back off the woodwork.

Twenty minutes into the second-half, Celtic came close again to extending their lead. Ewens was played through the middle by McGovern, but her effort was deflected out for a corner. And from the resulting corner, Black came close with a shot that was well-saved.

With five remaining, McGovern scored her second of the afternoon, capitalising on a goalkeeping error to slide the ball home to make it 4-0 for Celtic.

Celtic play Forfar Farmington in the SWPL1 on Sunday, September 8 at K-Park, East Kilbride (KO: 2pm). Adults £5, concessions £3 and under-16s free.

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

Celts sink Stirling University with impressive display