Nations League: Humbling for Northern Ireland as Republic hit them for six

It was a disappointing end to what has been a largely positive first campaign for Northern Ireland under Tanya Oxtoby as they were humbled by their closest rivals at Windsor Park.

Two-goal salvos either side of half-time did the bulk of the damage for the hosts as the Republic showed the gulf in class that still remains between the two sides.

As group winners already, the visitors could have taken their foot off their gas, but they showed huge professionalism to run riot at times in Belfast.

For Tanya Oxtoby, she'll take her team into a Nations League relegation play-off in February next year and will have work to do to revitalise her team after the disappointment of this result.

Despite the visitors having plenty of the ball in the early stages, it was Northern Ireland who had the first chance of the game. However, Rebecca Holloway's effort from distance landed on the top of Courtney Brosnan's goal.

As they began to assert their dominance on proceedings, the Republic eventually took the lead eight minutes before the break.

Lucy Quinn made space on the edge of the box to fire in a right-footed shot that deceived Maddy Harvey-Clifford in the Northern Ireland goal to find the left side of the goal.

And it took Eileen Gleeson’s side less than two more minutes to double that advantage.

This time Quinn turned provider as her perfect cross from the right was volleyed home by the unmarked Heather Payne at the back post.

Oxtoby made two changes at the break, bringing on the experienced Demi Vance at the back for Rebecca McKenna and the NIFL Premiership top scorer Kerry Beattie in place of Aston Villa’s Simone Magill up front.

However, that didn’t improve things as the Republic repeated their first half feat of two goals in quick succession after the restart.

The third arrived when Kyra Carusa was able to fend off Sarah McFadden at the near post to glance home an inch-perfect Katie McCabe cross from the left on 46 minutes.

Then the fourth arrived inside a further three minutes as a bewildered Northern Ireland looked shellshocked.

Having shown her quality with her assist for the third, McCabe got in on the action to score the next one herself.

This time the Arsenal star and Republic of Ireland captain cut in from the left flank to unleash a shot with her weaker right foot from 25 yards that gave Harvey-Clifford little chance.

The fifth duly arrived on the hour mark and it was simplicity at its finest as Louise Quinn rose highest to nod home Megan Connolly's corner from the right.

Northern Ireland did restore some semblance of pride with a quarter of an hour remaining.

Republic keeper Brosnan failed to deal with Chloe McCarron’s corner from the left, and when Holloway turned the ball back into the crowded penalty area, Kerry Beattie showed her predatory instincts to direct it past Brosnan.

But that was a good as it got for Northern Ireland as the Republic added a sixth four minutes from time.

Connolly’s corner from the left sailed the whole way through to Caitlin Hayes and she poked it home from six yards with the home defence all at sea.

That was merely the cherry on top of the icing on top of the cake for the visitors.

For Northern Ireland, it shows there's work still do, but shouldn't take away from a Nations League campaign that has produced more positives than negatives under Tanya Oxtoby.

MATCH STATS

Northern Ireland: Harvey-Clifford, McKenna (Vance H-T), Holloway, McFadden, Rafferty, McCarron (Bell 81), Caldwell (Maxwell 66), Callaghan (C), Wade, Magill (Beattie H-T), Hamilton

Subs not used: Turner (GK), Norney (GK), Mason, Halliday, McLaren, Wilson, Andrews, Magee

Republic of Ireland: Brosnan, Payne (Larkin 63), McCabe (C), Hayes, Louise Quinn (Mustaki 81), Connolly, Finn (Agg 85), Littlejohn (Stapleton 63), Carusa, Lucy Quinn (Atkinson 81), O’Sullivan

Subs not used: Moloney (GK), Whitehouse (GK), Caldwell, McLaughlin, Toland, Nolan, Dolan

Referee: Veronika Kovarova (Czech Republic)