AINE O’GORMAN has ended her international retirement and has been included in Vera Pauw’s provisional Republic of Ireland squad for next month’s Euro 2021 qualifiers with Greece and Montenegro.
O’Gorman announced her international retirement in 2018, having scored 13 goals across a century of caps. She was among those who stood in front of the media in April 2017, as the squad threatened strike action while seeking better treatment from the FAI.
She is presently playing with Peamount United, with whom she won last season’s league title.
Also returning to the squad are Courtney Brosnan, Harriet Scott, Megan Connolly, Niamh Farrelly, Ruesha Littlejohn and Heather Payne, all of whom missed last November’s draw away to Greece.
Defenders Keeva Keenan and Megan Campbell miss out through injury.
Ireland host Greece at Tallaght Stadium on Thursday, 5 March and then travel to play Montenegro on Wednesday, 11 March. Pauw’s side are second in Group I, five points behind leaders Germany and three clear of third-placed Greece.
Group winners qualify for the competition automatically, as do the top three runners-up. The rest of the second-placed sides go to a play-off to determine the final three available spaces at a tournament to be staged in England.
Republic of Ireland WNT Squad
Goalkeepers: Marie Hourihan (SC Braga), Grace Moloney (Reading), Courtney Brosnan (West Ham United), Niamh Reid Burke (Peamount United)
Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Aine O’Gorman (Peamount United), Louise Quinn (Arsenal), Diane Caldwell (SC Sand), Claire O’Riordan (MSV Duisburg), Jamie Finn (Shelbourne), Claire Walsh (Peamount United), Chloe Mustaki (Charlton Athletic)
Midfielders: Julie-Ann Russell (Sydney University), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Brighton & Hove Albion), Hayley Nolan (University of Hartford), Niamh Farrelly (Peamount United), Jessica Ziu (Shelbourne), Ruesha Littlejohn (West Ham United)
Forwards: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Clare Shine (Glasgow City), Heather Payne (Florida State University), Leanne Kiernan (West Ham United), Amber Barrett (FC Koln), Rianna Jarrett (Brighton & Hove Albion)
