Photo via BBC Sport

Cliftonville stripped of League Cup win as treble hopes end

Cliftonville’s historic domestic treble bid has collapsed after the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) revoked their Women’s League Cup victory due to a registration error involving two ineligible players in the final. The decision, announced following a complaint by defeated finalists Glentoran, retroactively awards the match—a 4-0 Cliftonville win at Seaview—as a 3-0 Glentoran triumph.

The club has also been fined £500 for the breach, with the NIFL confirming the players were not properly registered for the competition. Cliftonville’s hopes of a fourth consecutive League Cup title were dashed despite a dominant performance, with striker Caitlin McGuinness scoring twice and sisters Kirsty McGuinness and Danielle Maxwell adding to the final scoreline.

The setback leaves Cliftonville still in pursuit of the Women’s Irish Cup, where they face Glentoran again on October 24, though they’ve already secured the league title nine points clear of their rivals.

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