SWPL Cup: Celtic reach semi-finals after Josephine Giard double

Celtic's Ruesha Littlejohn

Josephine Giard scored her first goals for Celtic as they reached the SWPL Cup semi-finals with a 3-0 win over Hamilton Academical.

They were joined in the last four by champions Glasgow City, holders Hibernian and newly-promoted Forfar Farmington.

City were 3-0 winners over Spartans while Forfar beat Stirling University 2-0.

Lucy Graham scored the only goal as Hibs edged past Rangers.

The semi-finals take place at the Falkirk Stadium on Sunday 29 April, with the draw taking place on Monday.

Still unbeaten after six games, Celtic are a side looking ominously stronger by the week.

Giard and Rachel Donaldson got the goals, but it was another of their pre-season signings, Irish international Keeva Keenan, who would prove pivotal at the Superseal Stadium.

She would have a hand in all three goals, and it was her early cross that nearly brought Celtic an early opener; Ruesha Littlejohn heading across goal and just wide of the far post.

However, at the other end it was a poor pass from Keenan that gifted Hamilton striker Lori Gardner a golden chance; the 21-year-old's sweet first touch taking her past her marker only for goalkeeper Keira Gibson to block her effort.

The hosts were made to pay for that miss seven minutes before half-time when Keenan picked Giard out at the back post and the German striker rose highest to finally break her Celtic duck after signing last month from FSV Gutersloh.

Hamilton responded well, with Gardner and Katie Rice both forcing saves before the break.

It had been a stuffy opening 45 minutes but the game opened up to Celtic's benefit in the second half.

Giard was in the mood for more goals. After failing to connect with a header then lobbing wide, she finally grabbed her second when Keenan's drilled cross to Littlejohn was blocked and fell into her path.

She had the chance for the hat-trick after falling to the turf under Jade Lindsay's challenge, but elected to let Natalie Ross take the resulting penalty kick. The effort was saved - goalkeeper Lauren Grant pushing the ball away low to her left - the third time Celtic have failed to score from the spot in their six games so far.

Celtic continued to pile forward. Kelly Clark and Littlejohn both failed to direct a cross into the net, while Sarah Ewens had a shot from the left saved.

But Donaldson would make it three with a brilliant finish; collecting Keenan's pass and floating a shot over Grant and just under the crossbar.

Celtic head coach David Haley: "Giard has been unlucky the past couple of weeks. She's hit the post, and especially up at Forfar the goalkeeper has pulled off two phenomenal saves, so it's good to get her up and running.

"We were actually talking about penalties on Friday night, who was on them and who wasn't. But the worrying thing is that we've missed three penalties now which really isn't good enough. We need to practice a wee bit more, because those kind of things can come around in big, big games so we need to make sure we bury them.

"Against Stirling the girl has hit a great strike and that's the only goal we've conceded so far. We look fairly positive. I will say though that Keira had to pull off a couple of brave saves in this game, but I'm really pleased with the clean sheet again."

Glasgow City's Nicola Docherty launches an attack in her side's 3-0 win away to Spartans