Auckland United and Western Springs, winners of the Kate Sheppard Cup in 2022 and 2023 respectively, will contest the 2024 final at North Harbour Stadium on September 7 after scoring contrasting wins on the road in their respective semi-finals. "The Hoops" hit the ground running at Tahuna Park in the early kick-off, and effectively booked their place in next month's final within the first five minutes of their encounter with Dunedin City Royals, who came into this semi-final with an unbeaten record in 2024, and having conceded just three goals all season. Those achievements were put to the sword by Springs, who were afforded a third minute lead by Rina Hirano, an advantage swiftly double by Liz Savage two minutes later, the pair having been responsible for the creation of each other's goals. There was no way back for "The Royals" after this, and when Rebecca Burrows made it 3-0 halfway through the first half, a rout threatened. Thankfully, Dunedin dug in and prevented the visitors from adding further to their tally, but that 3-0 scoreline was more than good enough from the cup holders' perspective - back-to-back triumphs beckon for Maia Vink's charges. Not if Auckland has anything to do with it! There is a tremendous team spirit in Ben Bate's squad, and they called upon it to score a late, come-from-behind 2-1 win over Wellington Phoenix at Fraser Park, where a hard-fought affair unfolded. Honours were even until the hour mark, when former United starlet Manaia Elliott cut in off the left and engineered an opening which Georgia Furnell fired home to the delight of the natives. That looked like being the winning goal, but the reigning champions of Oceania had other ideas. With four minutes remaining, Chelsea Elliott turned home a Saskia Vosper cross with a brilliant piece of improvisation, her back-heeled finish at the near post levelling the scores. The 2023 Lotto Northern Premier Women's League and National Women's League champions weren't satisfied with parity, however, but they left it extremely late to seal the deal in regulation time. United's pressing game forced a grave error by Wellington, who were punished mercilessly for trying to play out from the back when row Z and the extra time period it would guarantee were the better options. The beneficiary was Estelle Harrison, who thundered home the winner from the edge of the penalty area in the eighth minute of stoppage time to break local hearts and maintain Auckland's unbeaten record in 2024, a year in which they will enter unknown territory for a female club side in NZ by playing at least forty competitive fixtures -

21 league, 5 cup, 5 in Oceania and at least 9, potentially 10, in the National Women's League. Details: Dunedin City Royals 0, Western Springs 3 (R. Hirano (3), L. Savage (5), R. Burrows (24))  HT 0-3 Wellington Phoenix 1 (G. Furnell (60)), Auckland United 2 (C. Elliott (86), E. Harrison (90))  HT 0-0 The involvement of two Lotto Northern Premier Women's League teams in the Kate Sheppard Cup semi-finals meant action in the best league in the country was already reduced this weekend, and once Mother Nature put paid to the clash of Hamilton Wanderers and Hibiscus Coast at Porritt Stadium … All eyes turned to Madills Farm and the East Auckland derby, with Eastern Suburbs prevailing 3-1 over Ellerslie to climb back into the all-important top four - "The Lilywhites" now lie third, two points ahead of fifth-placed Fencibles United with Western Springs in between the pair of them in fourth. The first half of this match saw two teams sorely lacking in belief after recent results, with Katie Mawdesley's goal-line clearance the only noteworthy incident action-wise during the first half. The other noteworthy incident was a change in personnel, with the introduction of Zoe Brazier ten minutes before half-time giving Suburbs a cutting edge which proved pivotal in the second spell. The substitute had a hand in all three goals by the home team, Sofia Garcia breaking the deadlock eight minutes into the second spell. Millie Boyle doubled their advantage twelve minutes later, moments before Garcia battered the bar with a ferocious first-time drive from thirty yards. Laney Strachan, playing against her former club, gave "The Ponies" a lifeline with a well-taken strike four minutes from time, but their hopes of snatching a late draw were dashed just two minutes later as Hannah Saxon stole in to clinch the points for "The Lilywhites". This weekend's action kicks off on Friday evening, with Auckland taking on Suburbs at Keith Hay Park, while West Coast Rangers welcome Fencibles to Fred Taylor Park. On Sunday, Springs host Hamilton at Seddon Fields, while "The Coasters" entertain Ellerslie at Stanmore Bay Reserve - two matches in which the travelling teams will be eager to secure points as the relegation battle approaches its climax. Details: Eastern Suburbs 3 (S. Garcia (53), M. Boyle (65), H. Saxon (88)), Ellerslie 1 (L. Strachan (86))  HT 0-0