Hearts reach first ever Scottish Cup Final
Spartans and Hearts of Midlothian met at Hampden Park for the second Scottish Gas Women’s Scottish Cup semi final of the weekend.
It was Hearts who booked their place in the final thanks to goals from Kate Mooney, Kathleen McGovern and Carly Girasoli.
It was a close opening 45 minutes at Hampden Park. Spartans goalkeeper Alicia Yates made a number of great saves to deny the Heart of Midlothian efforts on target with Monica Forsyth also seeing her effort denied by the crossbar.
It was Hearts that went into the break with the lead thanks to their goal on the stroke of half time. Georgia Timms crossed the ball into the six yard box and Kate Mooney was there to squeeze the ball into the net at the front post area.
Hearts doubled their lead in the 57th minute when good build up play lead to Monica Forsyth receiving the ball wide on the left. Forsyth crossed the ball into the box and Kathleen McGovern, who had only been substituted on a minute prior, rose above everyone else to bullet home a header.
Deep into stoppage time and Hearts got their third. Kathleen McGovern played a great ball into the box which was met by the head of Carly Girasoli who bulleted home a header to secure Hearts their place in the Scottish Gas Women’s Scottish Cup Final against Rangers on Sunday 26th May.
Rangers and Celtic had met at Hampden Park the day before for their Scottish Gas Women’s Scottish Cup semi final. It was Rangers who progressed to the final thanks to second half goals from Chelsea Cornet and Kirsty Howat.
A tight first half saw the teams share possession, each having a few attempts within the box, however neither team were able to capitalise.
Celtic had the best chance of the first half a minute before the break when Rangers goalkeeper Victoria Esson was forced to make a fingertip save over the crossbar to ensure the sides went into half time on level terms.
Both teams had a positive start to the second half, both creating great chances that could’ve opened the scoring. Rangers had the first big chance of the second half in the 68th minute when a long distance strike from Chelsea Cornet was denied by a strong save from Kelsey Daugherty who pushed the effort over the crossbar. Celtic then had a great chance only a minute later when Natasha Flint received the ball inside the box however her attempt at the volley went narrowly past the post.
Rangers broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute when Lizzie Arnot saw her effort towards goal take a deflection and Rangers were awarded a corner. Rachel Rowe swung the corner into the box and Chelsea Cornet was there to rise above the rest and head home to give her side the lead.
Rangers doubled their lead a minute before the 90 was up when an attempted headed clearance from the Celtic defender fell into the path of Kirsty Howat who lifted the ball over Kelsey Daugherty, the outcoming Celtic goalkeeper, and into the empty net to seal her side their place in the Scottish Gas Women’s Scottish Cup Final on Sunday 26th May.
(scottishfa.co.uk)