Republic of Ireland 5-1 Albania: Katie McCabe hits hat-trick in dominant Women's Nations League win

Katie McCabe produced a sensational display at Tallaght Stadium as she notched a hat-trick and also set up Kyra Carusa's two goals

Katie McCabe produced a superb display as her hat-trick helped the Republic of Ireland hammer Albania 5-1 in the Women's Nations League in Dublin.

Megi Doci's shock equaliser cancelled out McCabe's fourth-minute goal but the Arsenal star's deflected effort put the Republic 2-1 ahead at half-time.

She turned provider by brilliantly setting up striker Kyra Carusa for goals in the 56th and 59th minute.

McCabe then completed her hat-trick nine minutes from time.

Diane Caldwell had been handed the captain's armband instead of regular skipper McCabe by interim manager Eileen Gleeson for the Tallaght Stadium contest as she became only the seventh Republic of Ireland women's international to reach 100 caps.

Win maintains Republic's 100% record

The Republic's win maintains their 100% record in Group One of League B following their respective 3-0 and 4-0 wins over Northern Ireland and Hungary last month.

Gleeson's side will continue their campaign when they travel to Albania for the reverse fixture on Tuesday night.

The formation Gleeson opted for gave McCabe licence to attack, with the manager deploying Izzy Atkinson and Abbie Larkin in wing-back roles

At times in the first half the Republic's players looked a little unsure of their positioning as Doci and the particularly impressive Qendresa Krasniqi looked dangerous in possession for the visitors on the rare occasions they did foray into the Irish half.

McCabe needed only four minutes to open her account as she brilliantly controlled Larkin's low cross before poking past Albania keeper Viona Rexhepi.

Kyra Carusa scored the Republic's two second-half goals after being set up by Katie McCabe

However, the visitors - who are 72nd and 48 places below the Irish in the Fifa rankings - were on level terms within three minutes as Doci superbly volleyed a deep Arbenita Curraj cross past Courtney Brosnan.

Caldwell's 100th cap was almost marked with a goal as her looping shot struck the crossbar on 22 minutes, but the Republic regained the lead four minutes later as McCabe's shot from outside the box took a wicked deflection off Alma Hilaj to leave Rexhepi helpless.

After a somewhat middling first-half, the Republic looked more assured after the break and McCabe fired inches wide before Louise Quinn's header was brilliantly grasped on the line by the Albanian keeper.

But the third Irish goal did come after 56 minutes as McCabe intercepted a short Albanian corner on the edge of her own box, burst past two attempted challenges as she charged upfield before teeing up Carusa to loft over Rexhepi.

It was the McCabe-Carusa show again three minutes later as the Arsenal player's cross was nodded home by the USA-based striker.

McCabe's hat-trick was duly completed on 81 minutes as she curled past from the edge of the penalty area following Sinead Farrelly's short free-kick.