FROM THE HIGHS and hype of Páirc Uí Chaoimh to a subdued showdown in Tblisi, Ireland’s quest to qualify for Euro 2025 continues this evening.
After a three-month layoff, Eileen Gleeson’s side begin their play-off push against Georgia as they look to reach their first-ever European Championships and second major tournament.
To book their place at the finals tournament in Switzerland next summer, they must come through two play-off double-headers; the first against minnows Georgia, followed by a tougher assignment against Wales or Slovakia in late November/early December.
Gleeson and co. insist that only Georgia are on their mind ahead of the first leg at Mikheil Meskhi II Stadium [KO 5pm Irish time, RTÉ 2] and Tuesday’s rematch in Tallaght.
“The mindset we’ve been promoting is maintaining intensity and intent and not being complacent around this game,” the head coach said yesterday. “As we all know, anything can happen in football.”
Indeed, but anything other than two wins here is inconceivable. Ireland hammered the Eastern European nation 20-0 on aggregate in their 2023 World Cup qualifying group, while there are 94 places between the sides (24th and 118th) in the Fifa World Rankings.
The Girls In Green are without several players through injury, including Louise Quinn, Megan Connolly and Ruesha Littlejohn, while first-choice goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan is suspended, but these absentees should be of little concern.
Championship duo Grace Moloney and Sophie Whitehouse, and Athlone Town’s Katie Keane, are the other shot-stoppers available as Brosnan’s run of 31 straight appearances comes to an enforced end. Moloney has international experience with six caps, while Whitehouse is more likely of the other pair to make her senior debut. Whoever gets the nod shouldn’t be busy.
Following the pragmatic approach to the Group of Death with England, France and Sweden, Gleeson will be able to play a more attacking team here. She will revert to the more front-footed set-up and tactics we saw during their Nations League success as Ireland swept lower-ranked League B teams aside. (Georgia have been in League C.)
3-5-2 was generally the formation, while a back four has been deployed on occasion. Five was necessary defensively in the Euro group qualifiers, with the wing-backs pinned right back, while Kyra Carusa routinely ploughed a lonely furrow up top. While injury ruled the San Diego Wave striker out, Julie-Anne Russell and Leanne Kiernan were effective in an attacking two in the thrilling 3-1 win over France at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Caitlin Hayes has played every minute since Gleeson took charge and she will lead the defence in the absence of Quinn. There’s no shortage of other cover. Denise O’Sullivan, as always, will be the heartbeat in midfield, likely pushing on in the 10. Katie McCabe is in line for her 90th cap, and should be stationed higher up the field than the deep-lying left-back role she has operated in of late. This game provides the perfect opportunity for the captain to rediscover her finest international form.
Heather Payne’s return, meanwhile, is a boost, while opportunities could be afforded to lesser-used players in a difficult-to-predict XI. Amber Barrett appears the striker in goalscoring form at club level, but Gleeson hinted at the “nice combination” of Carusa and Russell yesterday as Ireland target a goal rush.
All involved stress past results mean nothing, but it’s worth briefly revisiting those November 2021 and June 2022 games.
The 11-0 home win was the biggest competitive victory ever registered by an Irish men’s or women’s senior international team. O’Sullivan scored a hat-trick, while McCabe was on the double on a wet and windy night at Tallaght Stadium. Carusa and Barrett were also on target, along with Connolly and overlooked duo Lucy Quinn and Saoirse Noonan, while a Georgia own goal completed the rout.
Another demolition job followed in Gori as Ireland equalled their biggest away win in a 9-0 cakewalk. McCabe took the match ball on this occasion, Louise Quinn bagged a brace, Niamh Fahey and Abbie Larkin scored their first international goals, while O’Sullivan and Connolly were also on the sheet.
Expect more one-way traffic here, but Anna Patten is among those urging patience. They might not hit the same absurd 20-0 aggregate, but should cruise to one-sided results.
Georgia have shown signs of improvement of late. Former Israel captain Iris Antman took over as manager last year, and has brought in a raft of young players. Record appearance holder Nino Pasikashvili remains their leading light, but 21-year-old playmaker Natia Danelia is one to keep an eye on amidst a largely home-based squad.
They have never qualified for a major tournament, but were boosted by results in the group stages including a win and draw against higher-ranked Lithuania, and a pair of victories over lowly Cyprus.
But their campaign is likely to end here, with Ireland the overwhelming favourites to progress.
“We’re in a good position, but we still have to make it happen,” as Gleeson stressed in the build-up.
“We’re not taking anything for granted. Why did we beat Georgia before? Because we did the right things in those games. We have to look to repeat that. The focus is two wins and get to the next stage.”
This is Ireland’s second appearance in the Euro qualifying play-offs — having been edged out by Iceland in 2008 — and comes a little over two years on from the historic World Cup play-off win over Scotland at Hampden Park.
Now, there is new ground to be broken.
The Euros vision is clear, and the mission resumes in Tbilisi tonight.
- Georgia v Ireland, Euro 2025 play-off first leg, Mikheil Meskhi II Stadium, KO 5pm Irish time (8pm local), RTÉ 2.
Still can’t believe this signing was allowed, I cannot understand props and locks as when you go through the first 2 options it gets a bit thin on the ground, but ringrose henshaw Osborne, not even mentioning o brien and frawley, the irony is they still won’t get over the line at end of season and that will teach the irfu a well earned lesson
@Cian Halley: can* understand
@Cian Halley: why wouldn’t this signing be allowed? Each side was the same number of NiQ players.
@Cian Halley: I think they’ve simply said sod it let’s pull out all the stops to win. It’s only a 6 month contract and yes clearly for Ireland it would be better to have an Irish international playing the big games, but wouldn’t it be better overall for an Irish province to win Europe considering the amount of Irish intentionals playing there.
@chris mcdonnell: except for Munster who have had the rules broken for them and have 4 on their books.
@Ciaran Kennedy: nope, it would be better overall if Ireland win or won something of note!
@teuO6nLS: where did the 3 niq rule come out of?
@Cian Halley: All 5 of those players you mentioned will be away on international duty and you also left out Keenan, Lowe, Prendergast and possibly Larmour too so that’s our entire 1st team backline gone so this signing is actually very crucial and very shrewd. He’s more than welcome and hopefully he will add to the team and help the youngsters develop
@Ciaran Kennedy: you could say that but then the flipside is, what If they don’t get over the line,tbh its unforgivable if they don’t with that squad
@teuO6nLS: who are those 4?
@Harry O’ Callaghan: meh it’s a point but then again, as ROC regularly says in his articles, leinster have an absolute rolls Royce academy? Can’t they just whip up a fee pancakes frome there or is it perhaps not as strong as we thought?
@Cian Halley: Putting all the inexperienced academy players out against seasoned pros would be a terrible decision. You might get away with that if you had your strongest pack out but the majority of the pack will be away on international duty also.
@chris mcdonnell: Think you’ll find Ulster have one NIQ player. And a number of very average IQ players who’ll never play for Ireland which helps precisely nobody.
@teuO6nLS: Would it real kill us to pause and think before reacting to a comment? Yes the OP was having a general moan about the advantages that Leinster have, but if it was the other way round, Leinster supporters would probably feel the same way. Stoking the fire with petty digs doesn’t lead to meaningful and constructive conversation about the state of Irish rugby. Surely we can all agree that we want what is best?
@Justin Robinson: If Ulster have chosen to only use one of their NIQ spots, that is their right. The other provinces don’t have to match them though. In fact it could be argued that Leinster have made very inefficient use of their spots by signing a player for a 6 month contract and 2 others on 1 year deals.
I see Ryan Baird is back with Leinster too. Looks like POM on bench Saturday with Beirne to start at 6.
@Kenjo: Crazy.Beirne should be rested o mahony and Murray should be back with munster with the matches we have coming up.
@Papa Kilo: Beirne could definitely do with a rest but he’s an unreal engine. The bit of game time will benefit POM after playing little rugby so far this season. Think Casey will make the bench Saturday with Murray sitting out. Let’s just pray that we’ve no injuries.
@Kenjo: o mahony and Murray should be playing Saturday against the lions not needed in irish setup
@Papa Kilo: agreed Papa, overlooked that Munster were playing Saturday.
@Kenjo: saw that. So he has fallen behind Izuchukwu and C. Prendergast in pecking order potentially now.
@Michael Corkery: He just hasn’t got going this season and he was unfortunate to be injured against Argentina after only coming on.
@Papa Kilo: can be rested on provincial time and miss games for Munster. Just like the rest of the centrally contracted players do for their provinces.
@Kenjo: Or Beirne in the row, POM at 6 and Ryan & Izuchukwu on the bench. Or maybe Izzy starts and POM on the bench.
@Kenjo: I guarantee Tadhg Beirne would not agree with you. Players want to play. When RWC27 comes around, the format will include 4 knock out games. We need to be in a position to field our best team for 4 or 5 games in a row and not run out of gas. The only way players can get used to that is regular exposure to week after week top level rugby. The SA get it (mostly) in the RC every year – 6 games of quality rugby with a dose of travelling in the mix. We give ourselves down weeks in the 6N. Isn’t it no wonder there is only 1 NH world cup win.
Leinster trying to buy trophies
@Tony McGrath: it s almost as if they are recruiting players to help them win trophies
@Tony McGrath: The majority of Leinsters squad is homegrown from Dublin or Leinster. If you don’t like us signing 1 or 2 players and that’s it then why don’t you give us back all our players that we’ve given to you.
@Tony McGrath: In the 29 editions of the Champions Cup / Heineken Cup, every team has “bought” the trophy. That is if you classify recruiting 3 players from around the world to make your team better, as “buying trophies”. How can I help you to see the error of your ways?
I accidentally (it was late) watched ABs v France from a previous year thinking it was this years game last week. Anyway it was too far gone and a decent game so I just kept going, Barrett was terrible, in fact (just a self fact) if he had been wearing green that day he would have been lampooned by fans and the media, long kicks, dropped balls, missed tackles, woeful stuff… Dunno about this lad, time will tell, he may well have a few moments and URC isn’t the same as Autumn series in Paris.
Well f*#k anyway