Kelly Brady hat-trick secures first women's double for Athlone Town

Brady scored a brace in the first half, and another goal shortly after the break for Athlone Town in the Women's FAI Cup final against Bohemians. 

Athlone Town's Kelly Brady celebrates scoring her hat-trick goal against Bohemians. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

Women’s FAI Cup final: Athlone Town 3 (Kelly Brady 22, 36, 48) Bohemians (Alannah McEvoy 6, Aoibhe Brennan 73) 

Kelly Brady’s hat-trick sealed an historic double for Athlone Town, seeing off maiden finalists Bohemians to lift the Women’s FAI Cup.

The Midlanders’ second Cup triumph was earned by cancelling out an early screamer by Alannah McEvoy on six minutes at Tallaght Stadium.

New York-born Brady had already claimed the golden boot during Town’s successful defence of their title and she swelled her haul with a 26-minute treble.

Firstly, she rose majestically to head home Shaunna Brennan’s left wing cross on 22 minutes.

Her fellow American Maddie Gibson assisted for her second, lofting in a free that hung in the air for the striker to steer her header beyond Rachael Kelly.

Three minutes into the second half and Brady notched her third, pouncing on the loose ball after Gibson’s shot was blocked. She swivelled inside the box to find the room to squeeze her low shot beneath the grasp of Kelly.

Aoibhe Brennan set up a stirring finish by executing a sublime curler from 25 yards but Town held out for the last 17 minutes to clinch their first-ever double before a disappointing crowd of 3,608.

ATHLONE TOWN: M Plaschko; K Brennan, K Shine, N McNally, S Brennan (S Rice 72); H Waesch; R Molloy (I Ryan 81), K Slevin, E Mooney (C Singleton 81), M Gibson; K Brady.

BOHEMIANS: R Kelly; S Power, L Murphy, R McGovern, K Lovely (K Malone 87); S McKevitt (H O’Brien 46), A Brennan, F Donnelly, H Healy, L Glennon (K McCann 46); A McEvoy (S Kane 89).

Referee: Lucas Keating (Cork) Attendance: 3,608.