Magnificent Katie McCabe puts Albania to the sword

Comfortable, but hardly flawless, the Republic of Ireland took another stride towards winning their UEFA Nations League group with a 5-1 defeat of Albania at Tallaght stadium on Friday night.

Those who had to endure the rain and the M50 traffic to make a 5:45pm kick-off may have been questioning whether it was worth it as they shuffled into the ground long after the action had started.

But a tour de force performance from Katie McCabe vindicated their dedication.

She is a generational talent who is currently operating at the peak of her powers.

McCabe won’t make Monday’s Ballon D’Or awards in Paris; she’ll be in Albania preparing for the return fixture between these two countries. But her name is on the short list, and tonight showed why.

The phenomenal Tallaght woman took this game by the scruff of the neck and sculpted it in her own image with a display of tenacity, class and power. Three goals and two assists - for in-form attacker Kyra Carusa - settled it after Albania had the audacity to nab an equaliser early on.

Hungary’s win over Northern Ireland in Budapest means another victory for the Girls in Green on Tuesday night could see Ireland win their group with two games to spare.

With McCabe in this kind of form, it looks a formality.

Interim boss Eileen Gleeson made three changes to the team that started last month's 4-0 win in Hungary. Heather Payne and Lucy Quinn were both forced out with niggles, opening the door for Abbie Larkin and Izzy Atkinson, while Megan Connolly replaced Lily Agg in the middle of the park.

McCabe passed the armband on to Diane Caldwell on the occasion of the defender’s 100th cap and then stationed herself in a more offensive position, playing off striker Carusa.

It took the Arsenal star a little