Katie McCabe reveals she bagged treble with a torn tricep muscle

Nothing, it seems, will distract Katie McCabe's laser-beam focus on the greater good.

Nominated for a Ballon d'Or? It's all about the team.

Three goals and two assists in a 5-1 win? It's all about the team.

A torn tricep muscle that would leave most players sidelined? It's all about the team.

McCabe revealed after Friday's hammering of Albania - which she orchestrated so majestically - that she'd played with a painful arm injury sustained during Arsenal's 2-1 victory at Bristol City last weekend. The Dubliner got both of the Gunners' goals that afternoon.

She's in sensational form for club and country but the 28-year-old refuses to take her eye off the ball. Ireland will be in Albania on Monday night ahead of their UEFA Nations League clash, just when this year's ceremony for the Ballon d'Or awards begin in Paris. McCabe is on the short list.

"I have training Monday!" the Tallaght woman said when asked if she'd be watching.

"It's matchday minus one so I think we've got an evening session in Albania. I might stick it on if I'm able to, but my full focus will be on preparing for Albania on Tuesday.

"It's a real honour to be nominated for those awards, up with the best in the world, so it's a massive honour for me personally but as I said I wouldn't be able to do it without the support of my team-mates here at the Republic of Ireland and Arsenal."

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A comfortable win over the world No 72 Albanians didn't mask a few cracks in the Irish performance. They were sloppy in the opening half,