IT was a monumental Sunday evening for Coleraine Women as both the First and Reserves teams took to the pitch on the same day — marking a proud milestone in the club’s history…

The atmosphere was electric, the performances unforgettable, and when the final whistle blew in both games, Coleraine were heading home with six well-earned points and a mountain of pride.

RESERVES DOMINANCE

Kicking off the historic double-header, Coleraine Reserves took on Belfast Ravens III and wasted no time in setting the tone. A sensational early goal from Shannon Friel put the visitors ahead, and it was only the beginning of what would become a jaw-dropping performance. Friel followed up quickly with her second, and then Lindsay Norton added her name to the scoresheet with a well-timed finish from a corner.

What followed was a clinic in finishing from Friel, who completed her hat-trick in emphatic style and then astonishingly netted two more in rapid succession to bring her tally to five goals before the break. Norton struck again just before half-time to give Coleraine a commanding 7-0 lead.

The second half began just as the first had ended, with Friel again finding the net — her sixth goal of the match. Though Ravens began to show more composure in the second half, Coleraine’s defence remained rock solid, and the match finished 8-0 to the away side.

FIRST-TEAM EDGE THRILLER

Not to be outdone, Coleraine’s first-team stepped up next against Belfast Ravens’ First XI — and it was Shannon Friel once again who stole the show. Fresh off her six-goal display for the Reserves, Friel delivered a third hat-trick of the night within the opening 25 minutes, stunning the hosts and putting Coleraine firmly in control at 3-0.

Ravens responded with a goal before the break, narrowing the deficit to 3-1 and setting up a tense second half. Both sides came out battling, and Ravens added a second to bring the score to 3-2. A crucial moment came when the hosts were awarded a penalty, but to Coleraine’s relief, the effort was off-target.

In the dying stages, Coleraine’s defence and midfield showed immense grit and determination to hold off the pressure, sealing a hard-fought 3-2 victory and capping off a memorable day with six points in total.

Across both fixtures, every single one of the 24 Coleraine players who stepped onto the pitch gave their all. The teamwork, work ethic, and passion on display were a testament to the spirit of the club.

Coleraine FC Women now head into a well-earned week off with confidence sky-high and excitement building for the remainder of the season.

Huge thanks to Belfast Ravens for hosting both games and best wishes to their first and third Teams for the rest of their campaigns.