Stephanie Roche nets hat-trick as Peamount sweep Sligo Rovers aside, Wexford Youths edge league leaders Shelbourne

Experience counted for everything at the Showgrounds as Peamount United put five past an injury hit Sligo Rovers in the Women's National League.

Republic of Ireland international Stephanie Roche netted a hat-trick, while an Alannah McEvoy goal along with a second half Amy Roddy own-goal handed the 2020 league winners their second big win on the bounce following their seven-goal trouncing of Cork City last week.

Without several key players, Rovers struggled to deal with the power and know-how of their opponents with Peamount in charge throughout.

Both Roche and Dara Gorman went close in the opening moments, providing a hint of what was to come.

United hit the lead after eight minutes.

Roche displaying her killer instinct as she took up a good position in front of goal, before nodding Lauryn O'Callaghan’s cross into the corner of the Rovers net, away from goalkeeper Amy Mahon for her side’s opener.

Sligo, forced into four changes from their win over Wexford a week earlier, hadn’t conceded in over 270 minutes of football in the lead up to this tie and almost fell behind further on ten minutes.

Mahon, who saved a dramatic injury-time penalty in that game, did well to get behind McEvoy’s effort as the Peas continued to find space behind the Rovers back four.

The Dubliners did have their second on 13 minutes.

McEvoy springing the offside trap to meet Gorman’s ball over the top of the Sligo defence before cutting play back and into the path of Roche who fired home for her brace.

Peamount continued to control proceedings, with Aine O’Gorman in particular, proving an expected handful for the Rovers defence who were all at sea for the visitors’ third.

McEvoy scrambling home Tiegan Ruddy’s corner although the former Shelbourne woman knew