USA put five past Ireland

The Republic of Ireland Women's international team suffered a 5-0 loss to the USA in Portland, Oregan, in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Sue Ronan's side went into the game as rank outsiders against the Olympic Soccer champions and an Alex Morgan hat-trick in the first half and a double from substitute Sydney Leroux after the break decided the game in front of 10,092 spectators at JELD-WEN Field.

Morgan’s hat-trick means she has scored 27 goals for her country in 2012.

Morgan posed a threat from early on and she was denied in the seventh and 21st minutes by Arsenal goalkeeper Emma Byrne.

She eventually broke the deadlock in the 24th minute when she found the bottom corner of the Irish net with a low strike from just outside the box that went in via the inside of the left upright.

Morgan made it 2-0 in the 34th minute after left-back Becky Sauerbrunn found Lauren Cheney in the area and she played the ball back to Morgan who finished from close range.

Just before the break Morgan scored again after her initial shot was blocked and the rebound fell kindly to the striker who fired home.

Substitute Leroux made it 4-0 in the 62nd minute after connecting with a cross from fellow substitute Heather O’Reilly to head home from six yards out.

Leroux added her second in the 81st minute after combining with Lauren Cheney and Amy Rodriguez before producing a low shot that squeezed under Byrne.

This victory extended the USA's unbeaten run to 19 games. The Irish team who has never qualified for the Olympics or World Cup gained the admiration of the crowd despite their comprehensive defeat. They were cheered from the field by the American fans and the Irish players responded by heading around the stadium to applaud the fans.

U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Jill Ellis spoke after the game about the value of this friendly which forms part of a Fan Tribute Tour for the U.S. Team. “We have a new coach starting with us next year, Tom Sermanni, so really this is all about touring around the country with our fans, celebrating, enjoying and playing freely. Lots of people are getting playing time, which is good since usually with pressure situations, the starting 11 plays the majority of the time. It’s an opportunity for others to get some playing time”, she said.

Sue Ronan will be hoping that her side will be able to improve their performance when the sides meet again this Saturday at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

USA: Hope Solo (Nicole Barnhart 46); Heather Mitts (Kelley O’Hara 46), Christie Rampone, Rachel Buehler, Becky Sauerbrunn, Megan Rapinoe (Amy Rodriguez 59), Carli Lloyd, Lauren Cheney, Tobin Heath (Heather O’Reilly 46); Alex Morgan (Sydney Leroux 59), Abby Wambach (Shannon Boxx 46).

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Emma Byrne; Sophie Perry (Mary Therese McDonnell 46), Louise Quinn, Yvonne Tracey, Meabh De Burca; Niamh Fahey (Ciara Grant 57), Julie Ann Russell, Aine O’Gorman (Shannon Smyth 46), Diane Caldwell; Fiona O’Sullivan, Denise O’Sullivan (Ruesha Littlejohn 90+2).

Referee: Katja Koroleva (USA).