The Sports Direct Women’s Premiership stormed back in style as no fewer than four players bagged hat-tricks from the first full round of fixtures after the short summer recess.

Cliftonville duo Danielle Maxwell and Marissa Callaghan will have to share the match ball after hitting three goals apiece as the Reds strolled to a comfortable defeat of Derry City Women, while Joely Andrews knocked home three goals in less than a quarter-of-an-hour in Glentoran Women’s victory over Mid Ulster Ladies.

And, not to be out done, Larne’s Erin Montgomery marked her debut with a treble as Donald Malomo-Paris’ side got the better of Lisburn Ladies.

There were also victories for Crusaders Strikers and Sion Swifts Ladies on a high scoring night of league action.

As might have been expected – with two players hitting hat-tricks – Cliftonville were the most prolific side on the night with an 8-1 defeat of Derry City at Solitude.

Louise McDaniel grabbed the opening goal as early as the third minute with a 25-yard finish with Maxwell hitting her first of the evening less than ten minutes after that.

Callaghan scored two in as many minutes midway through the first half, before Maxwell doubled her tally after half-an-hour.

Abby Alexander pulled one back for the Candystripes not long after the interval but Maxwell found the net again moments after that … with Callaghan doing likewise literally a couple of minutes later!

Katie Markey then completed the scoring late in the game.

It took Glentoran a little while to break the deadlock at home to Mid Ulster Ladies.

Megan Neill got the Glens off the mark from outside the area a couple of minutes from the break, with Kerry Beattie doubling up early in the second half.

That was how it stayed until Andrews added her first on 76 minutes, doubled up with nine minutes to go and then made it 5-0 with her hat-trick goal on 88 minutes!

Lisburn Ladies and Larne Women produced an entertaining five goal thriller at the Bluebell Stadium but it fell to Montgomery to grab the headlines with three goals and the winner!

The 19-year-old opened the scoring from a set piece after half-an-hour, but this was cancelled out by Morgan Shannon before the break.

Stacey Murdough handed the home side the advantage midway through the second half, but Montgomery levelled soon after before popping up to bag the sensational winner to kick off her career at Larne in style!

Darcie McNeill hit both goals as Crusaders Strikers got the better of Linfield Women at Seaview, opening the scoring on 21 minutes before doubling up early in the second half.
And it was a good night, too, for Sion Swifts Ladies as they hit four goals without reply past Ballymena United Women at the Melvin Sports Complex.

Goals from Chelsea Sheerin and Chloe McGlade inside the opening 20 minutes fired the Swifts into a strong position, with Caoirse Doherty and Naomi McLaughlin wrapping the scoring up in the latter part of the second half.