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All you need to know about Challenge Cup final
Cliftonville celebrate lifting the Challenge Cup in 2025
Image caption, Cliftonville have won the last two editions of the Challenge Cup final at Windsor Park

The Women's Challenge Cup final takes place at Windsor Park on Saturday and it's a big one as Glentoran take on holders Cliftonville.

The Glens and the Reds have been the two standout sides in the domestic game in Northern Ireland and they will battle it out in the final match of the season for the Irish Cup.

Cliftonville won the league but missed out on the chance to win a domestic treble after Glentoran were awarded the League Cup final after the Reds fielded two ineligible players in July.

You'll be able to follow it live across BBC Sport, and here's all you need to know.

The final between Cliftonville and Glentoran takes places at Windsor Park in Belfast on Saturday, 24 October at 19:30 BST.

You can watch the final on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport app and website.

Former Northern Ireland defender Julie Nelson joins presenter Nicola McCarthy from 19:15 BST.

Current Northern Ireland manager Michael McArdle and former international Helen McKenna are on co-commentary alongside Barry Greene.

It's fair to say it has been advantage Cliftonville this season, and the Reds hold a 100% record on the pitch over Glentoran in their four meetings this season.

Their first meeting was in the League Cup final in July, when the Reds ran out 4-0 winners, but that result was overturned after it emerged that Cliftonville had fielded two ineligible players.

Teegan Lynch scored twice as Cliftonville were 3-1 winners at Solitude in the first league match against the Glens at the beginning of August, and the Reds then won 2-1 at the Blanchflower Stadium later in August thanks to Caitlin McGuinness' late winner.

Cliftonville wrapped up the league after a 1-1 draw between nearest rivals Glentoran and Linfield in September, and they celebrated on the final day of the season with a 4-1 victory over the Glens before they lifted the trophy.

Caitlin and Kirsty McGuinness have been key players for Cliftonville
Image caption, Sisters Caitlin and Kirsty McGuinness have been key players for Cliftonville

Cliftonville manager Brendan Lynch: "We know it's going to be a great game, there's going to be a real battle between the two sides.

"We've really had to prepare as best we can, as they probably have too, and we just know that it's going to be a big, big game.

"It's a great game to have for the Irish Cup final. It's a showpiece and that's what we think we'll get."

Glentoran manager Kim Turner: "They've been an absolutely great side, they've had good structures throughout the team and they're very well drilled.

"Ultimately it comes down to one final game of mentality, who's doing the right things on the day, who's taking the chances, who's making the last-ditch tackles and who wants it more.

"It's two top clubs with two sets of top players, and I think it's going to be an amazing evening for everyone and the women's game as a whole."

Holders Cliftonville started their cup defence with a tight 3-2 victory at home to Lisburn Rangers in the second round.

A 3-0 quarter-final victory was more comfortable for the Reds, and they beat north Belfast rivals Crusaders Strikers by the same scoreline in the last four.

Glentoran started their Irish Cup bid with a 7-0 hammering of Comber Rec, and then defeated Linfield 2-1 in a narrow quarter-final victory.

Gracie Conway scored the only goal of the game as Turner's side beat Lisburn 1-0 to reach the decider at Windsor Park.

Kelly Bailie
Image caption, After 30 years at Glentoran, Kelly Bailie will hang up her boots after the cup final

The big storyline ahead of the final is that Cliftonville have been denied the chance to win the domestic treble.

The Reds were stripped of their League Cup triumph after it was ruled that they fielded two ineligable players in July's decider against Glentoran.

Caitlin McGuinness scored twice and Kirsty McGuinness and Danielle Maxwell also netted in a 4-0 win on the day, but that has now been reversed to a 3-0 victory to Glentoran.

While manager Lynch feels that losing the chance to complete the domestic treble is "unfair" despite a dominant performance in the decider, he acknowledges "it is what it is".

"It's not quite Man City-esque, it's a technicality if you want," Lynch told BBC Sport NI, as he referenced the English club's guilty verdict of breaking the Premier League's financial rules.

"We put it aside and we go on. There's no point dwelling on it, we have to go forward and that's it."

While Glentoran have been retrospectively awarded the trophy, manager Turner admitted her side "lost the game fair and square" on the day.

She added that "nothing feels unjust" that they didn't get to celebrate the trophy.

Another storyline to watch is the final match of Kelly Bailie's 30-year career with Glentoran, and the defender will hang up her boots after Saturday's final.

"She's had so many accolades and so many awards and so many recognitions of her tremendous career in women's football," Turner said.

"We have a wee saying within the club and that is, 'be more Kelly'.

"I think we have to be more Kelly for this final game of being a good character, giving 100% in everything that we do and ultimately going to win another trophy."

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