WHILE MOST INTEREST from these shores was on Peamount United in today’s Uefa Women’s Champions League Qualifying Round action, there was plenty of other Irish involvement.
Back-to-back domestic league champions Peamount ultimately had their European adventure end in disappointment, falling to a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Serbian champions Spartak Subotica, but there was a mixed bag elsewhere.
Clare Shine’s stunning opener for Glasgow City was surely the highlight; the Cork striker’s audacious fourth-minute opener sending the Scottish kingpins on their way to a 3-0 win over Birkirkara of Malta.
You can watch the goal from 50 seconds or so in the video below:
🆕️⚽️ | 𝗨𝗪𝗖𝗟 𝗚𝗢𝗔𝗟𝗦
— Glasgow City FC | #OCAC 🧡🖤 (@GlasgowCityFC) August 18, 2021
⚽️ @ClareShine01, #PriscilaChinchilla & @KatsVital
Goals from our @UWCL tie v Birkirkara from this morning. pic.twitter.com/TQOppOwCbl
Former Peas defensive duo Claire Walsh — who provided the assist — and Niamh Farrelly, and Australia-born Irish international Aoife Colvill, are also on the books of the Glasgow side.
Walsh played the full game, Shine got 77 minutes under her belt, and Farrelly was introduced from the bench early in the second half at Broadwood Stadium.
Meanwhile, Ireland captain Katie McCabe helped Arsenal to a dominant 4-0 victory over Okzhetpes in Moscow.
There was no such joy for Irish teenage duo Izzy Atkinson and Tyler Toland as Celtic were fell to a 2-1 defeat at Levante.
Atkinson played the full game for the Hoops, while Toland – who recently joined from Manchester City – was an unused substitute.
Celtic’s goal was a free-kick from inside their own half; Caitlin Hayes’ effort somehow finding the back of the net after bouncing past Levante ‘keeper María Valenzuela, who really should have dealt with it:
No me lo puedo creer!!! Vaya gol del Celtic!! (2-1) pic.twitter.com/FnxXAJ4mU9
— FCBSeny (@FCBseny) August 18, 2021
Looking elsewhere, Louise Quinn says it’s “a huge honour” to be named captain of her new Women’s Super League [WSL] side Birmingham City.
The Blues, who signed Quinn from Italian outfit Fiorentina earlier this summer, announced the news last night, with the Wicklow native giving a passionate interview:
“Obviously it’s a great honour to captain Blues,” the former Arsenal defender said within, ” and a real surprise. It’s something that I’m very, very proud of.
“But it’s all about the team and we have a lot of leaders in there. It will be an honour absolutely, wearing the armband, but we have a lot of players that can stand up and do that role.”
A huge honour 💙 #KRO https://t.co/WAJCFvt9rY
— Louise Quinn (@louise_quinn4) August 18, 2021