The Stephanie Zambra era got off to a flying start as a rampant Shamrock Rovers hammered Waterford 7-1 at Tallaght Stadium.
Claire O'Reilly, Anna Butler, an Aine O’Gorman brace and a second-half hat-trick for Emily Corbet gave the Republic of Ireland legend a record league win in her first game as interim boss - having taken over from Collie O’Neill who departed just five days previous.
Chloe Atkinson netted from the spot for Waterford but it was scant consolation for the visitors.
It had been a tumultuous time for the Hoops recently, who saw both star keeper Katie Keane and Ireland midfielder Ruesha Littlejohn depart and suffered a Dublin derby defeat to DLR Waves, before the managerial change.
However this win coupled with today’s announcements that both Mia Dodd and Taylor White have bolstered the squad means things are looking a bit more positive at the Dublin club.
Having been a striker herself, it was probably no surprise to see an attacking, relentless opening from Zambra's team.
Zambra pushed O’Gorman central, playing close to fellow striker Corbet. And the two attackers went close early on having shots from the edge of the area creep wide.
The visitors defended bravely and looked a threat themselves on the break. With nearly 12 minutes on the clock Erin O’Brien broke the offside trap and raced towards goal in the inside right channel. Instead of going for goal, the Fermoy native cleverly squared it to Atkinson who made a lung-bursting run to support but saw her low strike lacking power in the end and was eventually cleared to safety.
Minutes later the Hoops got themselves in front with an excellent finish. Ella Kelly continued her fine form out left, cutting inside and unleashing a strike too hot to handle for Maeve Williams. The ball flew back out towards the edge of the area, and O’Reilly volleyed home first time for her second of the season.
Minutes later, the hosts were inches away from doubling their lead. O’Gorman turned sharply out right and clipped a lovely ball in behind to Ella Kelly but, from a tight angle, she struck it off the frame of the goal.
Butler eventually added a second with a cool finish just after the half-hour mark, taking a gamble on an O’Gorman flick-on and reacting quickest in the area to slot past the helpless Williams.
Five minutes lates the visitors were gifted a lifeline when referee Ryan Maher pointed to the spot. Following a dangerous corner, and some pinball in the area, Corbet swung to clear and seemed to catch Laura Walsh in the process, with the referee in no doubt.
Atkinson finished well from 12 yards sending Summer Lawless the wrong way to halve the deficit.
Having spurned a glorious chance from close range just after the break, and looking like she was about to be replaced, the impressive Corbet got her name on the scoresheet to restore the two-goal lead.
Jaime Thompson and O’Gorman linked up well from a short corner straight off the training ground before the former cut back towards the penalty spot finding Corbet who swept home.
Two further goals in two minutes made it five for the ruthless Hoops. Firstly, O’Gorman rolled back the years dribbling all the way across the box from right to left, before reversing her low shot under Williams. And before Waterford knew what hit them, Corbet got her second racing on to a long Fiona Owens' ball over the top and finishing expertly to put the game beyond doubt.
Corbet rounded off her 12-minute hat-trick finding far too much space in the area having been picked out by Ella Kelly. The former Athlone striker made no mistake from point-blank range to further justify Zambra’s decision to leave her on.
With a quarter of an hour left it was seventh heaven for Zambra and her charges, with former club and international teammate O’Gorman sliding in to force home Kelly’s low cross to put what was the cherry on top of the icing on the cake.
Shamrock Rovers: Summer Lawless, Fiona Owens, Scarlett Herron, Maria Reynolds, Emily Corbet (Della Cowper-Gray, 81’), Ella Kelly, Aine O’Gorman, Anna Butler (Katie O’Reilly, 65’), Aoife Brophy, Jaime Thompson, Claire O’Reilly (Mia Dodd, 73’)
Waterford FC: Maeve Williams, Danielle Griffin (Zoey Croke, 81’), Jessica Lawler, Lauren Walsh (Aoife Mulkern, 76’), Danielle Burke (Stephanie Dumevi, 65’), Chloe Atkinson, Mia Lenihan (Isabel Walsh, 65’), Fiana Bradley (Meghan Carr, 81’), Sophie Slattery, Olivia Shannon, Erin O’Brien
Referee: Ryan Maher
