Ireland score five against demoralised Albania in Women’s Nations League match

Photo: Stephen Gormley (Red Eye Photo Agency)

Ireland’s Ballon D’Or nominee McCabe scores a hat-trick in their 5-1 victory over Albania in Dublin

Interim Ireland boss Eileen Gleeson has impressed since she has taken over for this UEFA Nations league campaign in Division B. She has steered her side to two wins in a row and her team are looking to win their group to get promoted to the elite division and get into the top seed position for the Euro 2025 draw.

It took only three minutes for Katie McCabe to get her first of the night. Larkin hit a low cross into the box for McCabe to control it and dink it over the onrushing goalkeeper Viona Rexhepi to make it 1-0 to Ireland.

Albania silenced the crowd just a few minutes later with a cross from Arbenita Curraj’s from the left finding her captain Megi Doci who slammed it home on the sliding volley to make it 1-1.

Albania worked very hard in the first half keeping Ireland at bay. Diane Caldwell had a great chance to score in her 100th match when she hit a great strike from 25 yards. However her shot was tipped onto the crossbar and the rebound from Carusa went straight into the goalkeeper’s body.

It was all getting a little frustrating for Ireland until the 45th minute. McCabe got the ball just outside the box and managed to out-muscle Doci before hitting a shot with her left foot that got a deflection off Alma Hila and flew into the Albania net to make it 2-1 at half time.

In the second half you could see McCabe meant business and she was banging on the Albania door yet again. She should have scored her third soon after the re-start but she sliced an angled shot wide of the post.

In the 57th minute McCabe went on a great run from deep and passed a beautiful ball through to Carusa who ran on and clipped the ball beyond the keeper to make it 3-1. It was fantastic football from the Irish.

Two minutes later it was 4-1. McCabe dug out a cross to Carusa who again finished with a powerful header. The two of them now with a brace each on the night. Who would get the hat trick?

It had of course to be Ballon D’Or nominee, McCabe. Sinead Farrelly tapped a free kick to the side to make the angle a little bit better for McCabe whose sweet left foot shot glided straight into the top corner to make it 5-1 on the night in the 81st minute.

As Eileen Gleeson said after the game:

“Katie only scores bangers”

What a player and what a performance on the night: three goals and two assists.

McCabe is the first Irish footballer to be nominated for the Ballon D’Or since Roy Keane in 2000.

Whoever takes over from Vera Pauw on a full time basis will in all likelihood be building this Ireland team around McCabe as they aim to qualify for Euro 2025 in Switzerland. Up next for Ireland is the away fixture in Albania on Tuesday night.