McCabe and Gunners one step away from FA Cup glory

FRESH from helping her country achieve a record-breaking victory over Georgia at Tallaght Stadium this week, Kilnamanagh’s Katie McCabe will be aiming to add another piece of silverware to her already glittering club roll of honour in Wembley on Sunday.

Playing a true captain’s role, McCabe grabbed a brace of goals as the Republic of Ireland women’s national team recorded an astonishing 11-0 win (the biggest in their 48-year history as an international side) at the expense of Georgia in Group A of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday.

She will not, however, have much time to relish that achievement as her club Arsenal are set to do battle with Chelsea in the FA Cup Final at the home of English football this coming weekend.

This is the competition’s showpiece decider for the 2020/21 season, which had been delayed for several months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tallaght’s Katie McCabe will be hoping to help Arsenal to FA Cup success

The Gunners got their campaign underway with comprehensive triumphs over Gillingham and Crystal Palace in April and May respectively, before subsequently overcoming Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion after the resumption of competitive action in September.

It is expected to be a major step-up for Arsenal on Sunday given Chelsea won the Women’s Super League last season and reached the final of the Champions League, but Jonas Eidevall’s charges will attack the game with all their might.

To date in 2021/22, McCabe has made 18 appearances (16 starts) and scored a total of four goals.

A three-time FAI Women’s Cup winner with Raheny United in the past, the Ireland skipper previously won this competition with Arsenal in 2016 – albeit as an extended squad member.

She did appear as a late substitute in their final defeat to Chelsea two years later and will be hoping to go one step further in their latest Wembley showdown.