Caitlin McGuiness was the matchwinner for Cliftonville against a resilient Cork City as the NIFL outfit set up a clash with Galway United in the Avenir All-Island Cup final.

Cliftonville, this just one of four available trophies still available for them this season, began at full throttle winning a corner inside one-minute which Abby McCarthy claimed well.

Led by club stalwart and Northern Irish captain, Marissa Callaghan, Cliftonville were caught dallying as Christina Dring and Chloe Atkinson both went close for the visitors.

With twelve minutes gone though, the NIFL side struck the breakthrough and in relatively simple fashion.

A wicked corner delivered excellently as their top scorer, Danielle Maxwell, turned provider and getting on the end of it with a crisp connection was the lively Caitlin McGuinness burying her header into McCarthy’s corner.

In retaliation, Atkinson’s aim again was just awry before Katie Markey illuminated Solitude with some dazzling footwork on the left, despite nothing coming of it.

Indeed, Atkinson had Cork’s best chance of the half, a corner not properly cleared, falling to her feet six yards but she was swiftly swamped upon by Cliftonville defenders.

Markey was then denied by an excellent defensive intervention by but dusting herself down, got up and whipped in an audacious effort from the left, the whipped effort whistling past the post.

Dring unselfishly played Atkinson in but her pearoller went wide right and at the break, Cork’s message would surely be to work Rachel Norney in Cliftonville’s goal, more. 

There was almost a dream second half start for the hosts as a lovely move freed Magee down the right, her cutback found Callaghan who struck an accurate first time shot only to see Abby McCarthy react quickly, her left boot denying the home captain.

Maxwell was next to go close, her chip landing just too high before herself and Vicky Carleton saw efforts blocked as Cork defended heroically.

Entering the final third, they introduced Heidi O’Sullivan as a debutant but Cork were nearly left down and out, Hannah Doherty nimbly manoeuvring room to shoot which beat McCarthy but not the post, Doherty denied some daylight for Cliftonville.

Wary that a clinical Cork attack could have serious consequences, Cliftonville battered the door down only to see McCarthy slam it back in their faces as she saved brilliantly from Fionnula Morgan and McGuiness in quick succession.

Cork though needed to get the ball to create a chance and their attacking rustiness showed when Norney easily dived upon Lauren Singleton’s late, tame strike.

Whilst nothing clearcut arose, a late free in injury time prompted a chaotic bout of head tennis with Norney required to punch clear.

That though proved Cork’s best chance and they bow out after a brave showing.  Cliftonville will hope the final meeting with Galway is just the start of what could be a silverware-laden season.