IRELAND STRIKER LEANNE Kiernan made her long-awaited return from injury on Wednesday evening as she came off the bench for the final 14 minutes of Liverpool’s Conti Cup defeat to Manchester City.

Chloe Kelly’s second-half double helped City to a 4-3 win at Prenton Park, sending City to the top of Group B after two games while winless Liverpool drop to bottom spot.

Cavan’s Kiernan missed almost the entire 2022/23 campaign with a serious ankle injury suffered on the opening weekend, only regaining fitness in time to make one appearance before the end of the season.

She was included in Vera Pauw’s provisional Ireland squad for the World Cup, and played 45 minutes of the warm-up game against Zambia, but has missed the opening weeks of the new English season as she struggled to return to full fitness.

“Leanne has had a tough time,” Reds boss Matt Beard said ahead of Wednesday’s comeback.

“I think she is still a couple of weeks away from playing WSL football but I’m hoping to give her 15 or 20 minutes against City.

“We have an academy game the week after at Blackburn when we can hopefully build her minutes up and then she will be available for selection for the first team on a regular basis.

“It’s been a long, hard road for Leanne but I believe in her and she is a big player for us.”

Elsewhere in Wednesday’s Conti Cup action, Saoirse Noonan pounced for a stoppage-time equaliser as Durham earned a late 2-2 draw away to Sunderland before winning 3-1 on penalties.