Hurt from last year spurred Athlone rout says Shelbourne ace Roma McLaughlin 

Roma McLaughlin wasn’t a part of it herself but she admits last year’s Womens FAI Cup final loss to Athlone Town was a huge motivation for Sunday’s revenge mission.  

Shels’ 6-1 demolition of the league champions was so impressive with Greencastle native McLaughlin providing two assists in that five-goal rout at Tallaght Stadium and onlooking Ireland boss Eileen Gleeson must surely have taken note of her contribution.

Braces from Katie Mooney and Noelle Murray – the first from the spot and further goals from Jess Gargan and Leah Doyle,  hit the stunned holders for six approaching half-time.

Cameroonian Brenda Tabe found the net for Athlone just before the short whistle but this one was over by the midpoint. 

With Storm Ashley making her presence felt, McLaughlin’s admitted her side’s seventh-minute breakthrough was a real nerve-settler. 

“The wind was picking up and it was difficult to judge,” she said after. “So when Kate got that touch around the ‘keeper and put it in the net it was a relief for all of us to get on the scoresheet early”. 

Like many of her teammates after, McLaughlin says the hurt from 2023’s loss to the same opposition was what really motivated Shels to deliver such a ruthless effort inside that first 45 minutes. 

“I was at the game last year where Athlone lifted the cup here and I know a lot of people were hurt by that. 

“Just the pain from all of that, we wanted it so bad this year and that showed against Galway, Shamrock Rovers and now today”. 

Dispute conceding a goal just before half-time to put some blemish on an extraordinary first-half performance, McLaughlin said it was just about resetting at the midpoint and making sure they continued to control the play. 

READ NEXT: Inishowen League: Culdaff Utd edge Redcastle Utd in eleven-goal thriller 

“Obviously it wasn’t ideal to concede before the break. The talk then was to sort of reset and put in another big shift in the second-half. We wanted to be first to every ball and keep that tempo up.

“But we’re just delighted. The past year was probably the most difficult I’ve had in my career so to top it off with a trophy was wonderful”.