Match Report courtesy of the Belfast Telegraph
Glentoran Women finished bottom of their Champions League group as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Maltese side Birkirkara in Romania.
The Danske Bank Premiership champions had taken the lead through defender Kelly Bailie, but second half goals from Raini Giusti and Charlene Zammit earned their opponents the win.
The result in what was essentially a third/fourth-placed play-off means the Glens finish bottom of the group and have exited the competition at the first hurdle.
Kick-off had been delayed by an hour in Cluj as grounds staff worked hard to clear the saturated pitch of standing water following a downpour overnight.
And once the game got under way, nine years after netting against the same opponents in the European top flight it was Bailie who headed home to give Billy Clarke’s side a 13th-minute lead.
But within 13 minutes of the restart the game had flipped on its head, half-time substitute Giusti equalising before Zammit struck the winner in the 58th-minute, with Caragh Hamilton and Chloe McCarron chances the closest the Glens got to rescuing a result.
The defeat was a disappointing way for Glentoran to end their European campaign after they suffered a 4-2 penalty shoot-out defeat in their Semi-Final against hosts Olimpija Cluj.
Glentoran Women:12. Ashleigh McKinnon 2. Annie Timoney 3. Jess Foy (Captain) 4. Emma McMaster 6. Nadene Caldwell 14. Caragh Hamilton 17. Joely Andrews 19. Kerry Beattie 20. Casey Howe 21. Kelly Bailie 97. Chloe McCarron
Subs 7. Makayla Mulholland 9. Rachel Rogan 16. Jennifer McDade 18. Michelle McDaid 26. Jenna McKearney 27. Shannon Dunne 28. Sarah Tweedie