A phenomenal performance from Katie McCabe with a hat trick and two assists for Kyra Carusa was enough to secure a comfortable 5-1 Irish win to continue their 100% record at the top of Group B1 of the UEFA Women’s Nations League in Tallaght Stadium this evening.

Ireland came into the clash with an unblemished 100% record against the lowest ranked side in the division and it after they found the net early on it appeared as if the complacency might have crept into the minds of the Irish players as a collection of mistakes allowed the Albanian captain Megi Doci in to equalise just moments later.

Ireland did have the upper hand throughout the entire game and would end up comfortable winners on the night but that early wobble will give interim manager Eileen Gleeson food for thought ahead of her squad selection for the return leg on Tuesday.

It didn’t take long for Ireland to get up and running, a fired in cross from the right hand side was intercepted by Katie McCabe who pulled the ball out of the air and the deftest of touches saw the ball past the Albanian keeper Viona Rexhepi to put the home side four minutes into the clash.

Albania would strike back almost immediately when the impressive Megi Doci ghosted in at the back post to push the ball into the back of the net to leave the Irish side looking at each other to dissect a calamity of errors.

Ireland continued to dominate possession and appeared to have caught the diminutive Rexhepi off her line with a chip from Diane Caldwell looking to creep over her. Her fingertip save pushed the ball onto the bar and fell to the onrushing Kyra Carusa who appeared to have the simplest of tap ins but the Albanian keeper smothered the effort. Regardless Carusa had been offside in the build up.

McCabe would strike again on 26 minutes when a ball wasn’t cleared by the Albanian defence. Good work from the squad captain earned her possession and her left footed effort from 25 yards took a deflection off Arbenita Curraj to deceive the keeper and re-establish Ireland’s lead.

Despite having total control of the remaining first half Ireland just couldn’t find a way past Rexhepi before the break.

Into the second period Albania continued to bravely battle against the marauding Irish attack. A bit of good fortune occured for McCabe when two Albanians collided as she broke out of defence, she took advantage of the little bit of space to find Kyra Carusa in open space on the left hand side and the San Diego Wave forward lifted her second touch over the keeper to seal the win for the Irish side.

Carusa would produce the best finish of the game just two minutes later. Sub Sinead Farrelly picked up possession in the centre of the field, found McCabe out wide on the left and her inch perfect pass was superbly directed by the Californian born player’s header inside the near post to make four for Ireland.

McCabe would complete the rout with a fine effort from a training ground set piece finding the top corner of the net after the referee ordered a retake for encroachment. The smile on the Arsenal star’s face as wide as the main stand in her home town stadium.

Gleeson emptied the bench through the second half and the result and performance could allow the Irish boss an opportunity to see some more of her squad in competitive action in the return leg in Albania on Tuesday evening.