WITH THE SLOVENIA horror show seemingly in the rear view mirror, Ireland are out to complete the double against Greece tonight.
The Nations League campaign is back on track, but Carla Ward’s side still trail the high-flying Slovenians. They face off in the final group game at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on 3 June; Ireland will hope they slip up before then.
For now, the task is simple: another win over Greece as they return to Tallaght Stadium [KO 7.30pm, live on RTÉ 2].
They do so without Katie McCabe, the Irish captain suspended after picking up her second yellow card of the campaign in Friday’s 4-0 win in Crete. First-choice centre-forward Kyra Carusa is also ruled out with a quad injury, and Ward is challenging others to step up.
McCabe only played the second half of the away leg as she manages a calf strain, but the Arsenal star helped change the game on her introduction.
Ireland laboured to a stalemate at the break, with fears creeping in that a Greek tragedy may well follow the Slovenia shocker. But the skipper was the creator-in-chief as fellow half-time substitute Marissa Sheva, Carusa, Jessie Stapleton and Amber Barrett all bagged goals and the 4-0 humbling in Koper was completely reversed.
Ward is in agreement. “We’ve got 23 players in the building that are all capable, all quality, top-quality players and top-quality humans, and I think there are 11 players who are going to go out there, we can’t rely on one. I don’t think you can ever rely on one, and I think it would be crazy to think that.”
Denise O’Sullivan will again captain the team in McCabe’s absence, on her 123rd cap as she edges ever closer to Emma Byrne’s all-time appearance record of 134. O’Sullivan and McCabe are often packaged together as Ireland’s world-class duo and key leaders, but the Cork midfielder is keen to play that “narrative” down.
“It’s never about me, it’s never about Katie, I’m a team player 100%. I think we have a lot of leaders on the team, young and experienced.
“Me and Katie are not going to be around forever, so as Carla said, it’s about 23 players and they all make a difference when they go on the pitch, they all love playing for their country. Whoever is on the pitch will give 100%. Whether me or Katie are on the pitch or not, we want the team to flourish and do well.”
Denise O'Sullivan with Katie McCabe. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Megan Campbell will likely start at left-back again: while McCabe carries more of an attacking threat, the long-throw specialist is solid. Chloe Mustaki also provides left-side cover. Aoife Mannion looks set to continue on the right, although Heather Payne has recovered from an ankle injury.
Stapleton grabbed her opportunity at centre-back with both hands — Ward sees her future there rather than midfield — and the Sunderland youngster should partner Anna Patten again.
Caitlin Hayes’ omission from the XI was addressed yesterday: she played every minute under Eileen Gleeson but has hardly featured for Ward. The new manager referenced huge defensive competition, and added: “Caitlin has been tremendous, her attitude has been brilliant. She knows where she’s at, she’s on board with where she’s at.”
Meanwhile, the midfield trio could be freshened up. Sheva is in line to start alongside O’Sullivan after a lively cameo, with just one holding player necessary from the off. Ruesha Littlejohn has been deployed there but a rare 90 minutes could see her held in reserve, with Tyler Toland preferred. Fellow Women’s Premier Division duo Aoibheann Clancy and Alex Kavanagh would love to play some part too.
Up top, Barrett is most likely to replace Carusa, but the returning Saoirse Noonan was also name-checked yesterday. Leanne Kiernan is another option to start centrally, though could again go wide right. Lucy Quinn wasn’t at her best to the left of the front three in game one; Abbie Larkin and Emily Murphy are other forwards for consideration, but wholesale changes to the XI are not expected.
Like for Ireland, it was a tale of two halves for Greece in Crete. Ranked 61st in the Fifa World Rankings — 35 places inferior — they are lowly and limited, but rather than sit deep and frustrate, they were bright early on.
They carried a threat on the counter; Everton’s Veatriki Sarri pulling the strings at 10 and front two Ionna Papatheodorou and Anastasia Spyridonidou dangerous, but that dissipated into one-way traffic in the second stanza.
Ireland head coach Carla Ward. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
Ward outlined how the Greeks have set up in four different ways through the campaign, so in-game solutions were required, but she wants Ireland to focus on themselves, and start how they finished.
Friday’s high-energy second half was “very close” to what she wishes to see going forward, but the English coach is demanding more improvements — and another win.
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Momentum is needed, as is maintaining the positive vibes in camp.
Ireland insist they are guarding against complacency as they target the Greek double, but conversations about the race for top spot — and potentially needing to beat Slovenia 5-0 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in early June — are live.
“We talked about this in the car on the way here,” Ward smiled yesterday, turning to O’Sullivan.
“I would love to go out there and be on the front foot and go gung-ho. Hopefully Türkiye take something from Slovenia [this evening], but if not, we pack out Cork and go for it, trying to beat them by the margin that we need.”
Greece first.
Another win is imperative, as is achieving it without Katie McCabe.
Uefa Women’s Nations League, League B, Group 2: Ireland v Greece, KO 7.30pm — live on RTÉ Two.
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Ireland target Greek double - and proof they can prosper without Katie McCabe
WITH THE SLOVENIA horror show seemingly in the rear view mirror, Ireland are out to complete the double against Greece tonight.
The Nations League campaign is back on track, but Carla Ward’s side still trail the high-flying Slovenians. They face off in the final group game at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on 3 June; Ireland will hope they slip up before then.
For now, the task is simple: another win over Greece as they return to Tallaght Stadium [KO 7.30pm, live on RTÉ 2].
They do so without Katie McCabe, the Irish captain suspended after picking up her second yellow card of the campaign in Friday’s 4-0 win in Crete. First-choice centre-forward Kyra Carusa is also ruled out with a quad injury, and Ward is challenging others to step up.
McCabe only played the second half of the away leg as she manages a calf strain, but the Arsenal star helped change the game on her introduction.
Ireland laboured to a stalemate at the break, with fears creeping in that a Greek tragedy may well follow the Slovenia shocker. But the skipper was the creator-in-chief as fellow half-time substitute Marissa Sheva, Carusa, Jessie Stapleton and Amber Barrett all bagged goals and the 4-0 humbling in Koper was completely reversed.
McCabe’s importance was well and truly underlined in a game of two halves, but it’s paramount Ireland show they can prosper without her.
Ward is in agreement. “We’ve got 23 players in the building that are all capable, all quality, top-quality players and top-quality humans, and I think there are 11 players who are going to go out there, we can’t rely on one. I don’t think you can ever rely on one, and I think it would be crazy to think that.”
Denise O’Sullivan will again captain the team in McCabe’s absence, on her 123rd cap as she edges ever closer to Emma Byrne’s all-time appearance record of 134. O’Sullivan and McCabe are often packaged together as Ireland’s world-class duo and key leaders, but the Cork midfielder is keen to play that “narrative” down.
“It’s never about me, it’s never about Katie, I’m a team player 100%. I think we have a lot of leaders on the team, young and experienced.
“Me and Katie are not going to be around forever, so as Carla said, it’s about 23 players and they all make a difference when they go on the pitch, they all love playing for their country. Whoever is on the pitch will give 100%. Whether me or Katie are on the pitch or not, we want the team to flourish and do well.”
Megan Campbell will likely start at left-back again: while McCabe carries more of an attacking threat, the long-throw specialist is solid. Chloe Mustaki also provides left-side cover. Aoife Mannion looks set to continue on the right, although Heather Payne has recovered from an ankle injury.
Stapleton grabbed her opportunity at centre-back with both hands — Ward sees her future there rather than midfield — and the Sunderland youngster should partner Anna Patten again.
Caitlin Hayes’ omission from the XI was addressed yesterday: she played every minute under Eileen Gleeson but has hardly featured for Ward. The new manager referenced huge defensive competition, and added: “Caitlin has been tremendous, her attitude has been brilliant. She knows where she’s at, she’s on board with where she’s at.”
Meanwhile, the midfield trio could be freshened up. Sheva is in line to start alongside O’Sullivan after a lively cameo, with just one holding player necessary from the off. Ruesha Littlejohn has been deployed there but a rare 90 minutes could see her held in reserve, with Tyler Toland preferred. Fellow Women’s Premier Division duo Aoibheann Clancy and Alex Kavanagh would love to play some part too.
Up top, Barrett is most likely to replace Carusa, but the returning Saoirse Noonan was also name-checked yesterday. Leanne Kiernan is another option to start centrally, though could again go wide right. Lucy Quinn wasn’t at her best to the left of the front three in game one; Abbie Larkin and Emily Murphy are other forwards for consideration, but wholesale changes to the XI are not expected.
Like for Ireland, it was a tale of two halves for Greece in Crete. Ranked 61st in the Fifa World Rankings — 35 places inferior — they are lowly and limited, but rather than sit deep and frustrate, they were bright early on.
They carried a threat on the counter; Everton’s Veatriki Sarri pulling the strings at 10 and front two Ionna Papatheodorou and Anastasia Spyridonidou dangerous, but that dissipated into one-way traffic in the second stanza.
Ward outlined how the Greeks have set up in four different ways through the campaign, so in-game solutions were required, but she wants Ireland to focus on themselves, and start how they finished.
Friday’s high-energy second half was “very close” to what she wishes to see going forward, but the English coach is demanding more improvements — and another win.
Momentum is needed, as is maintaining the positive vibes in camp.
Ireland insist they are guarding against complacency as they target the Greek double, but conversations about the race for top spot — and potentially needing to beat Slovenia 5-0 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in early June — are live.
“We talked about this in the car on the way here,” Ward smiled yesterday, turning to O’Sullivan.
“I would love to go out there and be on the front foot and go gung-ho. Hopefully Türkiye take something from Slovenia [this evening], but if not, we pack out Cork and go for it, trying to beat them by the margin that we need.”
Greece first.
Another win is imperative, as is achieving it without Katie McCabe.
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