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 little about it, as the ball seemed to come of McEvoy’s back before crossing the line.
United stopper Niamh Reid-Burke had little involvement in this first period, but Fiona Doherty did give her a moment of concern just short of the interval.
The goalkeeper forced to push Doherty’s cross-come-shot onto her own crossbar before United finally cleared the danger.
Sligo made things tougher for themselves early in the second half as they conceded a fourth. Roddy couldn’t hit the brakes in time as she turned Tara O’Hanlon’s cross past Mahon.
James O’Callaghan’s charges continued to create with Roche, Erin McLaughlin and O’Gorman all fashioning opportunities in the opening 15 of the second half.
There was some good news for Sligo who welcomed back club captain and second half substitution Emma Hansberry after a lengthy spell on the physio’s table. But the hosts sunk further on 74 minutes when Roche claimed her hat-trick.
Mahon taking down Michelle Doonan inside the Rovers penalty area as the second half change attempted to round the Charlestown native. Roche slotting home the subsequent spot-kick for her third of the afternoon.
Both these sides met on the opening day of the season when the Dubliners put six past Sligo, only for the result to be overturned in the following days due an issue surrounding an unregistered Peamount player.
Gorman almost matched that scoreline ten minutes from time but saw her drive from 18 yards bounce back off the frame of Mahon’s goal.
Sligo Rovers: Amy Mahon, Kerri O’Hara (Ciara Henry 77), Ruth Monaghan, Amy Roddy, Amy Hyndman, Lauren Boles, Leah Kelly, Fiona Doherty, Katie Melly (Emma Hansberry 67), Lauren McLellan (Jessica Casey 60), Emma Doherty (Helen Monaghan 77).
Peamount United: Niamh Reid-Burke, Lauryn O’Callaghan, Tiegan Ruddy (Dearbhaile Beirne 77), Dora Gorman, Sadhbh Doyle (Michelle Doonan 72), Alannah McEvoy (Rebecca McMahon 87), Stephanie Roche (Rebecca Carroll 77), Aine O’Gorman, Karen Duggan, Tara O’Hanlon, Erin McLaughlin.
Referee: Mark Houlihan.
Elsewhere, league leaders Shelbourne lost 1-0 at home to Wexford Youths, allowing the visitors and Peamount to close the gap in the Women's National League title race.
Jessica Lawler's late goal was enough for Youths to win and puts them within five points of the leaders, while Peamount and Athlone Town are a further three points behind.
Athlone dropped to fourth on goal difference after a 0-0 draw at Galway WFC.
Second from bottom Cork City picked up their third win of the campaign as they beat bottom side Treaty United 2-1.
Aislinn Meaney gave the Limerick side an early lead but goals from Danielle Burke and Lauren Singleton in the second half saw Cork turn the game around.
