Cliftonville Ladies were narrowly beaten by Galway United Women in the final of the inaugural Avenir Sports All Island Cup final in Sligo.

The Reds were undone by a 12th minute Gemma McGuinness strike when she made the most of a defensive error to lob keeper Rachel Norney some 25 yards from goal.

Another such moment of confusion almost gifted Galway a second goal midway through the first half only for Lynsey McKee's low effort to fall wide of the far post.

At the other end Victoria Carleton sent the ball just over from outside the area, while Caitlin McGuinness fired wide from a good position on the stroke of half-time.

After the break Cliftonville showed plenty of endeavour but without that killer touch in front of goal, but they almost fell further behind early on when Eve Dossen was denied by Norney at close range.

Cliftonville's best moment perhaps came through Kirsty McGuinness but she was thwarted by a last gasp tackle from Isabella Beletic.

Cliftonville Ladies: Norney, Burrows, Doherty, Morgan, Finnegan, Maxwell, McDaniel, C. McGuinness, Carleton, Callaghan, O. McGuinness subs White, K. McGuinness, Reilly, Markey, Irvine, Anderson, Bradley, Campbell

Galway United Women: Berlin, Costello, Beletic, Erickson, Slattery, K. Thompson, McKey, McGuinness, Kinnevey, Dossen, Meaney subs Ronanyne, McNamara, Griffin, Olusola, Madden, Callanan, A. Thompson, Doolan, Duffy