CLARE SHINE BAGGED a brilliant hat-trick as Glasgow City opened the Scottish Women’s Premier League season with a 7-0 win over The Spartans.
The Cork striker scored the first goal of the new season after 13 minutes, before adding another on 22 and completing her hat-trick on 52, linking up with assist ace Hayley Lauder for the latter pair.
Shine’s fellow Irish international Claire Walsh was also in target in the first half, the duo’s efforts before goal making it 3-0 at the break.
There’s always plenty of Irish interest in Glasgow City: Eileen Gleeson is the manager, with Emily Whelan on the bench today after recently making the move from Birmingham City.
One of the best finishers hailing from these shores, Shine has had a stop-start few seasons with well-documented personal issues and injury struggles. But she appeared back to her brilliant best today, shaping up nicely for a big 2022/23 season.
📺 | 🎤 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
— Glasgow City FC 🧡🖤 (@GlasgowCityFC) August 7, 2022
Hat-trick scorer @ClareShine01 and Head Coach @GleesonEileen on an opening day win.
Full 90 minutes available now on @Recast_App ➡️ https://t.co/gVt0tos6eO pic.twitter.com/7AvWEoAe5z
“I’m happy,” she told Glasgow City TV afterwards. “I was in the right position at the right time. There were some brilliant deliveries from the girls, and that’s my job as a striker, to score as many goals as I can. I’m lucky that three went in today.
“A good start to the league. Three points is what we ultimately wanted.”
Manager Gleeson echoed those sentiments. “Super happy with the performance. Thought we were really efficient in the build-up, created, scored some great goals, defensively solid. Always happy with the goals, but even happier then to keep a clean sheet.”
“I thought Shiney was brilliant today,” Gleeson added on her fellow Irishwoman. “She scored three, there was probably a couple more she could have scored.
First game of the season💥 @GlasgowCityFC pic.twitter.com/roCXMwDh6T
— Clare Shine (@ClareShine01) August 7, 2022
“She was on the end of everything, she was in good positions, she was challenging for everything and counter-pressing. It was great to watch all around.”
There were other one-sided results in the Scottish league this afternoon; reigning champions Rangers 14-0 winners over Glasgow Women, whiled Celtic triumphed on a scoreline of 9-0 against Hibernian. Ciara Grant featured as Hearts enjoyed a come-from-behind 3-1 victory over Partick Thistle.
The Irish contingent in England are still in pre-season mode, with several teams playing friendlies this weekend. The Women’s Super League kicks off on 10 September, with the Championship getting underway on 20 August.
International duty beckons soon too, Vera Pauw’s side facing Finland in a crunch World Cup qualifier showdown on 1 September at Tallaght Stadium, before a trip to Slovakia to round off the campaign.
