COURTNEY BROSNAN STARRED with another Player of the Match performance on a positive weekend for Irish players abroad.
Brosnan produced a string of impressive saves and kept a clean sheet as Everton won 1-0 away to London City Lionesses as they look to consolidate their Women’s Super League status.
After the Toffees sacked manager Brian Sørensen last week, interim boss Scott Phelan guided them to back-to-back wins in Bromley.
Inma Gabarro scored the winner in the 62nd minute, while Brosnan was pivotal.
“I think she is maybe a bit underrated in this league. She is such a good goalkeeper, she really saves points for us in every game. I was just [clapping] the whole game like, ‘Courtney, what are you doing?!
“I’m so proud of her. She got the Player of the Match trophy as well, it’s well deserved.”
Indeed underrated in some quarters, Brosnan has established herself as one of the best goalkeepers in the WSL since joining Everton in 2020.
Elsewhere in the WSL yesterday, Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan played key roles as their respective sides enjoyed crucial wins.
Katie McCabe helped Arsenal to a big win against Manchester City. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
McCabe helped Arsenal to a 1-0 win over runaway leaders Manchester City, with Olivia Smith’s 17th-minute goal the difference at Emirates Stadium.
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The Ireland captain, who is reportedly set to leave the Gunners this summer, played 84 minutes as they inflicted a first defeat on City since opening weekend in September. She had several big moments, including a late interception to deny Vivianne Miedema.
O’Sullivan was again instrumental as Liverpool romped to a 4-1 against Aston Villa to move off the bottom of the table for the first time since November.
The Cork midfielder played the full game for the Reds, who made it two wins from three.
Ireland manager Carla Ward watched on at St Helen’s Stadium, while Anna Patten played the full game for mid-table Villa.
O'Sullivan on the ball for Liverpool yesterday. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Leicester City dropped to the bottom after that result combined with West Ham’s dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Brighton following the Foxes’ 2-0 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday.
And six-in-a-row champions Chelsea beat Tottenham 2-0. City remain eight points clear at the summit, with a point separating United in second, Chelsea third, and Arsenal fourth, though the Gunners have a game in hand.
There were several Irish goalscorers elsewhere across the weekend, as Abbie Larkin and Amber Barrett continued their fine form for Crystal Palace and Strasbourg respectively.
Larkin was on target in Palace’s 2-1 over Bristol City in WSL 2, as Ruesha Littlejohn returned from her five-game ban. Barrett made it two goals in four games since moving to France, with her first in the league for RC Strasbourg.
Aoife Colvill scored for Barrett’s former club Standard Liège in Belgium, while former Galway United star Jenna Slattery was at the double for Hearts in Scotland.
This week presents final opportunities to impress Ireland boss Ward as she prepares to name her squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers next Tuesday, 17 February.
Ireland open their campaign against France at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday, 3 March, before travelling to Utrecht to face Netherlands four days later.
Brosnan will return as number one after missing October’s Nations League playoff success against Belgium due to injury — Sophie Whitehouse was capped in the behind-closed-doors friendly against Hungary in Marbella — while McCabe and O’Sullivan should spearhead the squad as always
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'Underrated in this league': Brosnan named Player of the Match as Irish trio star in WSL
COURTNEY BROSNAN STARRED with another Player of the Match performance on a positive weekend for Irish players abroad.
Brosnan produced a string of impressive saves and kept a clean sheet as Everton won 1-0 away to London City Lionesses as they look to consolidate their Women’s Super League status.
After the Toffees sacked manager Brian Sørensen last week, interim boss Scott Phelan guided them to back-to-back wins in Bromley.
Inma Gabarro scored the winner in the 62nd minute, while Brosnan was pivotal.
Everton’s Dutch midfielder Rosa van Gool paid tribute to the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper after the game: “She is unreal, she is so good.
“I’m so proud of her. She got the Player of the Match trophy as well, it’s well deserved.”
Indeed underrated in some quarters, Brosnan has established herself as one of the best goalkeepers in the WSL since joining Everton in 2020.
And the US-born 30-year-old is set to commit her future to the Merseyside outfit, with The Athletic reporting a contract extension until 2028.
Elsewhere in the WSL yesterday, Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan played key roles as their respective sides enjoyed crucial wins.
McCabe helped Arsenal to a 1-0 win over runaway leaders Manchester City, with Olivia Smith’s 17th-minute goal the difference at Emirates Stadium.
The Ireland captain, who is reportedly set to leave the Gunners this summer, played 84 minutes as they inflicted a first defeat on City since opening weekend in September. She had several big moments, including a late interception to deny Vivianne Miedema.
O’Sullivan was again instrumental as Liverpool romped to a 4-1 against Aston Villa to move off the bottom of the table for the first time since November.
The Cork midfielder played the full game for the Reds, who made it two wins from three.
Ireland manager Carla Ward watched on at St Helen’s Stadium, while Anna Patten played the full game for mid-table Villa.
Leicester City dropped to the bottom after that result combined with West Ham’s dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Brighton following the Foxes’ 2-0 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday.
And six-in-a-row champions Chelsea beat Tottenham 2-0. City remain eight points clear at the summit, with a point separating United in second, Chelsea third, and Arsenal fourth, though the Gunners have a game in hand.
There were several Irish goalscorers elsewhere across the weekend, as Abbie Larkin and Amber Barrett continued their fine form for Crystal Palace and Strasbourg respectively.
Larkin was on target in Palace’s 2-1 over Bristol City in WSL 2, as Ruesha Littlejohn returned from her five-game ban. Barrett made it two goals in four games since moving to France, with her first in the league for RC Strasbourg.
Aoife Colvill scored for Barrett’s former club Standard Liège in Belgium, while former Galway United star Jenna Slattery was at the double for Hearts in Scotland.
This week presents final opportunities to impress Ireland boss Ward as she prepares to name her squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers next Tuesday, 17 February.
Ireland open their campaign against France at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday, 3 March, before travelling to Utrecht to face Netherlands four days later.
Brosnan will return as number one after missing October’s Nations League playoff success against Belgium due to injury — Sophie Whitehouse was capped in the behind-closed-doors friendly against Hungary in Marbella — while McCabe and O’Sullivan should spearhead the squad as always
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