THE IRISH WOMEN’S national team return to action this week, and as usual, football is not the singular focus.
The squad convened in Dublin yesterday ahead of their Uefa Nations League playoff against Belgium, with head coach Carla Ward and several players facing the media.
A round of player interviews is customary to open the international window, but Ward was also available after missing last week’s squad announcement due to a family emergency.
Assistant head coach Alan Mahon deputised on that occasion, before Ward returned to the hot seat at FAI HQ, Abbotstown.
“I would say since I’ve come into the job, 80% hasn’t been football. So you have to then refocus everything back to football,” said Ward.
The English coach referenced “challenges” around resources and standards in the wake of Eileen Gleeson’s legal case against the FAI, to which the Association plan to mount ”a strong legal defence”.
Football dominated the more upbeat interviews which followed, while Ward did have the opportunity to discuss her squad and the Belgium double-header to an extent.
She now faces several big selection decisions ahead of Friday’s first leg at Aviva Stadium [KO 7pm, live on RTÉ2].
Number one goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan is the headline absentee, with WSL 2 duo Grace Moloney and Sophie Whitehouse vying for the jersey. Ireland U19 ‘keeper Katie Keane has also been called up, but Ward and Mahon have both framed it as a head to head between the other pair.
Advertisement
Brosnan’s unavailability with a knee injury is a significant blow: the Everton star has missed just one of Ireland’s last 42 games.
When Brosnan was suspended for last October’s Euro 2025 playoff semi-final first leg against Georgia, Moloney got the nod. She has generally been second-choice through the years, with seven caps to her name, while Whitehouse is yet to feature for Ireland since her arrival before the 2023 World Cup. She has had an impressive start to the season with Charlton Athletic, however, keeping four clean sheets in six games, conceding just twice. Moloney has established herself as Sunderland’s number one since joining in the summer.
“They’re both very different. That’s not been decided yet,” said Ward.
Belgium are also without their number one goalkeeper Lisa Litchfus through injury: the Le Harve shot-stopper played every minute at Euro 2025.
While Anna Patten’s suspension for the first leg leaves an opening in the centre of the Irish defence, the manager sees midfield as her other main conundrum.
“We’ve got a lot of players that are coming back from injury or long-term injuries. We’ve got players that aren’t necessarily playing 90 minutes each week.”
Denise O’Sullivan’s return to full fitness is a major boost. The Cork centurion came off the bench for North Carolina Courage at the weekend, having been sidelined since mid August with a knee setback.
“To lose Denise would be catastrophic,” as Ward told The 42. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that she’s back in with us.
“Not just on the pitch, off the pitch she’s phenomenal. I would argue she is one of the best players I’ve ever worked with — as a pro, everything she does, she’s unbelievable for us.”
Boost: Denise O'Sullivan. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Ruesha Littlejohn has been operating off limited minutes since her move to Crystal Palace, making her first start as she played a half on Sunday. Jamie Finn and Jess Ziu are both returning from ACL injuries. Marissa Sheva and Tyler Toland have been in and out of their respective teams. The injured Megan Connolly is another loss.
Amidst a raft of retirements, experience is crucial. O’Sullivan (125), McCabe (98) and Littlejohn (91) are the most capped players in the squad by some distance. Just four players from the XI that defeated Scotland in the 2023 World Cup playoff are in this squad: O’Sullivan, McCabe, Finn and Heather Payne.
Meanwhile, Ward confirmed that Kyra Carusa is fit and available for selection, the striker out of the San Diego Wave matchday squad at the weekend.
Athlone Town double winner Kelly Brady and Shamrock Rovers defender Maria Reynolds join the set-up as training players.
Brady bounces in after her FAI Cup final heroics, her hat-trick sealing the Midlanders’ first double. While unlikely to break into the full squad unless injury intervenes, Ward has been impressed by the US-born Golden Boot winner.
“I think she just gives you something a little bit different. Her athleticism is probably different to maybe some of the other League of Ireland players that we’ve looked at. Her movement in the box is unbelievable.
“We’re quite heavily loaded in that nine spot, but this initially is to have a really good look at her and for her to see a full-time set-up as well.”
This week could indeed be a baptism of fire, two games of real significance ahead.
Belgium are favourites given their League A status, which Ireland are keen to snatch: It guarantees a play-off for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, while losing and staying in League B means a trickier qualification path.
Just 15,000 tickets have been snapped up for Friday’s opener at the Aviva, as the team return to Lansdowne Road for the first time since their Euro playoff heartbreak last December.
“Of course, you’d prefer a sold-out stadium,” said Ward. “Hopefully there’s a big push this week where we get some more bums on seats.”
Plenty to keep an eye on in the coming days, challenges on and off the pitch.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Challenges on and off the pitch as Ward's Ireland prepare for Belgium playoff
THE IRISH WOMEN’S national team return to action this week, and as usual, football is not the singular focus.
The squad convened in Dublin yesterday ahead of their Uefa Nations League playoff against Belgium, with head coach Carla Ward and several players facing the media.
A round of player interviews is customary to open the international window, but Ward was also available after missing last week’s squad announcement due to a family emergency.
Assistant head coach Alan Mahon deputised on that occasion, before Ward returned to the hot seat at FAI HQ, Abbotstown.
Amid a 25-minute press conference, she admitted the “outside noise” around the FAI was an unwanted distraction.
“I would say since I’ve come into the job, 80% hasn’t been football. So you have to then refocus everything back to football,” said Ward.
The English coach referenced “challenges” around resources and standards in the wake of Eileen Gleeson’s legal case against the FAI, to which the Association plan to mount ”a strong legal defence”.
Football dominated the more upbeat interviews which followed, while Ward did have the opportunity to discuss her squad and the Belgium double-header to an extent.
She now faces several big selection decisions ahead of Friday’s first leg at Aviva Stadium [KO 7pm, live on RTÉ2].
Number one goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan is the headline absentee, with WSL 2 duo Grace Moloney and Sophie Whitehouse vying for the jersey. Ireland U19 ‘keeper Katie Keane has also been called up, but Ward and Mahon have both framed it as a head to head between the other pair.
Brosnan’s unavailability with a knee injury is a significant blow: the Everton star has missed just one of Ireland’s last 42 games.
When Brosnan was suspended for last October’s Euro 2025 playoff semi-final first leg against Georgia, Moloney got the nod. She has generally been second-choice through the years, with seven caps to her name, while Whitehouse is yet to feature for Ireland since her arrival before the 2023 World Cup. She has had an impressive start to the season with Charlton Athletic, however, keeping four clean sheets in six games, conceding just twice. Moloney has established herself as Sunderland’s number one since joining in the summer.
“They’re both very different. That’s not been decided yet,” said Ward.
Belgium are also without their number one goalkeeper Lisa Litchfus through injury: the Le Harve shot-stopper played every minute at Euro 2025.
While Anna Patten’s suspension for the first leg leaves an opening in the centre of the Irish defence, the manager sees midfield as her other main conundrum.
“We’ve got a lot of players that are coming back from injury or long-term injuries. We’ve got players that aren’t necessarily playing 90 minutes each week.”
Denise O’Sullivan’s return to full fitness is a major boost. The Cork centurion came off the bench for North Carolina Courage at the weekend, having been sidelined since mid August with a knee setback.
“To lose Denise would be catastrophic,” as Ward told The 42. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that she’s back in with us.
“Not just on the pitch, off the pitch she’s phenomenal. I would argue she is one of the best players I’ve ever worked with — as a pro, everything she does, she’s unbelievable for us.”
Ruesha Littlejohn has been operating off limited minutes since her move to Crystal Palace, making her first start as she played a half on Sunday. Jamie Finn and Jess Ziu are both returning from ACL injuries. Marissa Sheva and Tyler Toland have been in and out of their respective teams. The injured Megan Connolly is another loss.
Amidst a raft of retirements, experience is crucial. O’Sullivan (125), McCabe (98) and Littlejohn (91) are the most capped players in the squad by some distance. Just four players from the XI that defeated Scotland in the 2023 World Cup playoff are in this squad: O’Sullivan, McCabe, Finn and Heather Payne.
Meanwhile, Ward confirmed that Kyra Carusa is fit and available for selection, the striker out of the San Diego Wave matchday squad at the weekend.
Athlone Town double winner Kelly Brady and Shamrock Rovers defender Maria Reynolds join the set-up as training players.
Brady bounces in after her FAI Cup final heroics, her hat-trick sealing the Midlanders’ first double. While unlikely to break into the full squad unless injury intervenes, Ward has been impressed by the US-born Golden Boot winner.
“I think she just gives you something a little bit different. Her athleticism is probably different to maybe some of the other League of Ireland players that we’ve looked at. Her movement in the box is unbelievable.
“We’re quite heavily loaded in that nine spot, but this initially is to have a really good look at her and for her to see a full-time set-up as well.”
This week could indeed be a baptism of fire, two games of real significance ahead.
Belgium are favourites given their League A status, which Ireland are keen to snatch: It guarantees a play-off for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, while losing and staying in League B means a trickier qualification path.
Just 15,000 tickets have been snapped up for Friday’s opener at the Aviva, as the team return to Lansdowne Road for the first time since their Euro playoff heartbreak last December.
“Of course, you’d prefer a sold-out stadium,” said Ward. “Hopefully there’s a big push this week where we get some more bums on seats.”
Plenty to keep an eye on in the coming days, challenges on and off the pitch.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Ireland WNT Matchweek