Shelbourne torment Athlone Town in shock and awe Women's FAI Cup final
Last year it took a penalty shoot-out to separate the two sides but a ferocious first half performance in Tallaght saw the goal-hungry Reds wrap up a facile 6-1 victory
This trilogy was one-way traffic as Shelbourne blew away Athlone Town at Tallaght Stadium.
The record score in a Women's FAI Cup final prior to this afternoon was Peamount's 6-0 demolition of Cork City in the 2020 decider.
Remarkably, Eoin Wearen's Reds had six on the scoreboard by half-time in this final, the third in a row between two clubs who had become close rivals over the past three seasons.
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They had chances to add to that tally after the break without success in front of the 3,118 attendance but this was sweet revenge for Shels, who won the 2022 final meeting of the sides to secure the League and Cup double.
Athlone learned fast from that experience, turning the tables last year in a penalty shoot-out that settled a thriller in Tallaght.
Twelve months on, Ciaran Kilduff's midlanders arrived back to the venue as first-time League winners - holding Shels at bay in the title race.
Athlone, however, felt the full brunt of Shels' dissatisfaction with that outcome in what was a shock and awe first half display as Kate Mooney and Noelle Murray - playing in her 11th final - scored two apiece while Jess Gargan and Leah Doyle also got in on the act.
Doyle's goal - her side's sixth - prompted a long overdue summit from Town's players, held in their own penalty area, and it at least sparked a response that saw Brenda Tabe score just before the break. It was already a consolation effort.
There was some concern for Shels in the early stages as Pearl Slattery stayed down injured after she was fouled by Tabe, but the skipper eventually picked herself up and continued.
The Reds went ahead in the seventh minute, a double tackle on Kellie Brennan by Roma McLaughlin and Christie Gray symbolising Shels' intent.
McLaughlin's pass into Mooney seemed to get caught in the wind - it certainly caught out Katie Keane, Athlone's teenage keeper who this week was called into the senior Ireland squad for the upcoming Euro play-offs with Georgia. Mooney stabbed home past last woman back Kayleigh Shine.
The second followed on 14 minutes from the spot. Maggie Pierce was upended in the Athlone box by defender Shauna Brennan and Murray stepped up, smashing the ball down the centre and past Keane.
Mooney had another chance on the volley in the 26th minute and skied it, but Hargan made it 3-0 on the half hour.
The swirling wind caught out Athlone once more - this time centre-half Jessi Rossman misjudged the flight of McLaughlin's cross and Gargan, who started the move, made no mistake.
There were a couple of moments of concern at the other end for the hesitant Reds' rearguard but Kate Slevin's shot trickled wide, before Rossman - pushed into a more advanced midfield role - fired over from distance.
In a bid to rescue the situation, Town boss Ciaran Kilduff switched to three at the back but Shels feasted on the gaps that were there in the title winners' defence.
Mooney scored her second in style in the 38th minute, controlling Doyle's perfect cross on the chest before beating Keane, then Murray added her second - and Shels' fifth - four minutes later, finding the bottom right-hand corner after Alex Kavanagh's corner wasn't properly cleared.
Mooney, who signed back for the Drumcondra club in July after spells with DLR, Peamount, Lewes and Hearts, was denied a hat-trick when Keane saved at her near post. But the delighted Doyle pounced from close range from the resulting corner to make it six.
To their credit, Athlone hit back almost immediately through Tabe, who produced a composed finish from the edge of the box after Rossman's shot was deflected into her path.
Shels, however, were in complete control in the second half, with Murray missing two good opportunities for her hat-trick and Kavanagh forcing Keane into a tip over save from a long distance free.
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