US-BORN ATTACKER Erin Healy has earned a first Ireland WNT call-up for the final Nations League double-header against Türkiye and Slovenia.
The 24-year-old, who plays her football with Adelaide United in Australia’s A-League, qualifies to represent Ireland through her Monaghan-born grandfather.
Centurion defender Louise Quinn has been included for at least one more international camp ahead of her retirement this summer, while Megan Connolly returns having missed the games against Greece through injury.
As expected, Heather Payne (Achilles) and Leanne Kiernan (quad) have both been ruled out, while Tara O’Hanlon, Jamie Finn, Lily Agg and Jess Ziu are all still unavailable through injury.
Head coach Carla Ward told her press conference this morning that Healy “has been tracked for some time by the FAI” and gets the nod after “an exciting season” in the A-League Women’s.
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She has had interest from three WSL clubs, and has also garnered interest from the NWSL and Europe.
“I only told her the news 15 minutes ago and she is delighted,” said Ward. “ She wasn’t expecting it. A nice surprise, I think.
“She’s pacy, she can play off both sides, she can play down the middle. I think she is a natural replacement for Leanne. We actually looked at her for the last camp and it probably wasn’t the right time. But given the situation with Leanne, we thought she was a natural replacement.
“She’s tenacious, she’s front-footed, she scored a lot of goals. She has attracted a number of WSL clubs and will hopefully end up there this summer. But someone that is exciting and just been announced in the team of the year over there. And we’ve been watching her quite a lot, she is an exciting young player.
“She is Australia based but soon to be European based this summer and that will help for sure. She is someone we watched quite a lot. If you have a look at her, she can score goals and link the play. Importantly, she has got a lot of pace and somebody we have been excited about.”
The Ireland squad are due to report to Istanbul on Sunday to begin preparations for the penultimate League B Group 2 game against Türkiye on Friday, 30 May.
They then host Slovenia in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork, on Tuesday, 3 June.
Ward’s side are currently second to Slovenia, who beat them 4-0 in Koper in February, with just the group winners promoted automatically to League A. The runners-up will chase promotion in playoffs later this year.
“We’ve got two kicks at this: if we don’t finish top, then we’ve got October,” said Ward.
“For us, we’re in a position where we have to go and win both games, that’s the number one. First of all, we hope that Greece take something (against Slovenia), of course. If they don’t, then we set ourselves up to go and try and win by five goals. We don’t just roll over.
“It’s important that we continue doing what we’re doing, but also, there’s an opportunity there, we have to try and take it. That might be an interesting one, for sure, but we have to go out there and try and win both games.”
Ireland WNT Squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (Unattached), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic)
Defenders: Jessie Stapleton (West Ham United), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Anna Patten (Aston Villa), Caitlin Hayes (Brighton & Hove Albion), Louise Quinn (Unattached), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City), Megan Campbell (Unattached), Katie McCabe (Arsenal)
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'Exciting' Adelaide United attacker Erin Healy earns first Ireland international call-up
LAST UPDATE | 20 May
US-BORN ATTACKER Erin Healy has earned a first Ireland WNT call-up for the final Nations League double-header against Türkiye and Slovenia.
The 24-year-old, who plays her football with Adelaide United in Australia’s A-League, qualifies to represent Ireland through her Monaghan-born grandfather.
Centurion defender Louise Quinn has been included for at least one more international camp ahead of her retirement this summer, while Megan Connolly returns having missed the games against Greece through injury.
As expected, Heather Payne (Achilles) and Leanne Kiernan (quad) have both been ruled out, while Tara O’Hanlon, Jamie Finn, Lily Agg and Jess Ziu are all still unavailable through injury.
Head coach Carla Ward told her press conference this morning that Healy “has been tracked for some time by the FAI” and gets the nod after “an exciting season” in the A-League Women’s.
She has had interest from three WSL clubs, and has also garnered interest from the NWSL and Europe.
“I only told her the news 15 minutes ago and she is delighted,” said Ward. “ She wasn’t expecting it. A nice surprise, I think.
“She’s pacy, she can play off both sides, she can play down the middle. I think she is a natural replacement for Leanne. We actually looked at her for the last camp and it probably wasn’t the right time. But given the situation with Leanne, we thought she was a natural replacement.
“She’s tenacious, she’s front-footed, she scored a lot of goals. She has attracted a number of WSL clubs and will hopefully end up there this summer. But someone that is exciting and just been announced in the team of the year over there. And we’ve been watching her quite a lot, she is an exciting young player.
“She is Australia based but soon to be European based this summer and that will help for sure. She is someone we watched quite a lot. If you have a look at her, she can score goals and link the play. Importantly, she has got a lot of pace and somebody we have been excited about.”
The Ireland squad are due to report to Istanbul on Sunday to begin preparations for the penultimate League B Group 2 game against Türkiye on Friday, 30 May.
They then host Slovenia in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork, on Tuesday, 3 June.
Ward’s side are currently second to Slovenia, who beat them 4-0 in Koper in February, with just the group winners promoted automatically to League A. The runners-up will chase promotion in playoffs later this year.
“We’ve got two kicks at this: if we don’t finish top, then we’ve got October,” said Ward.
“For us, we’re in a position where we have to go and win both games, that’s the number one. First of all, we hope that Greece take something (against Slovenia), of course. If they don’t, then we set ourselves up to go and try and win by five goals. We don’t just roll over.
“It’s important that we continue doing what we’re doing, but also, there’s an opportunity there, we have to try and take it. That might be an interesting one, for sure, but we have to go out there and try and win both games.”
Ireland WNT Squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (Unattached), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic)
Defenders: Jessie Stapleton (West Ham United), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Anna Patten (Aston Villa), Caitlin Hayes (Brighton & Hove Albion), Louise Quinn (Unattached), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City), Megan Campbell (Unattached), Katie McCabe (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Ruesha Littlejohn (Shamrock Rovers), Megan Connolly (Lazio), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Marissa Sheva (Sunderland), Aoibheann Clancy (Shelbourne)
Forwards: Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Amber Barrett (Standard Liege), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Emily Murphy (Newcastle United), Saoirse Noonan (Celtic), Erin Healy (Adelaide United)
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Carla Ward Football Ireland WNT Soccer Squad squad announcement