Montenegro 0
Ireland 5
IRELAND’S WOMEN RECORDED a convincing win away to Montenegro this afternoon as they attempt to get their Uefa Euro 2017 campaign back on track.
First half goals from Louise Quinn, Aine O’Gorman and Ruesha Littlejohn set Sue Ronan’s side on their way in Petrovac before substitutes Denise O’Sullivan and Stephanie Roche put the icing on the cake late on.
Arsenal goalkeeper Emma Byrne captained the team on the day she earned her 125th senior international cap, while the back four was made up of Sophie Perry, Quinn, Niamh Fahey and Meabh De Búrca.
Karen Duggan, Diane Caldwell and O’Gorman were named in midfield with Julie Ann Russell and Katie McCabe occupying the wings, leaving Littlejohn as the lone striker.
And the Girls in Green got off to the perfect when a short corner was returned to Russell before she curled the ball to the back post for Quinn to nod home after just three minutes.
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It was UCD Waves winger Russell who again provided the assist on 24 minutes. Her exquisite diagonal pass found the feet of McCabe and the ball trickled through to O’Gorman, who prodded home.
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Ireland were awarded a penalty two minutes later when O’Gorman was brought down in the box and Littlejohn took on spot-kick duties to convert from 12 yards out.
Ronan introduced Stephanie Roche, Fiona O’Sullivan and Denise O’Sullivan after the break and it was the new Houston Dash signing who added a fourth on 73 minutes.
Controlling the ball on the edge of the box, she turned her marker and blasted a strike past Montenegrin goalkeeper Jovana Bajčetić.
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Russell made it a hat-trick of assists with six minutes on the clock when she got to the endline and crossed for Roche to head in and cap off a full-deserved result.
The win, their biggest since a 5-0 victory over Malta in 2004, moves Ireland up to joint second in Group 2 with one game more than closest rivals Finland and Portugal played.
Next up is a trip to Madrid to face leaders Spain on Tuesday.
MONTENEGRO: Jovana Bajčetić, Željka Radanović, Andreja Vidić (Helena Božić 89), Aleksandra Popović (Jovana Zlatičanin 46), Tatjana Djurković, Sladjana Bulatović (c), Milica Vulić, Tamara Bojat (Dijana Miljanić 72), Jasna Djoković, Armisa Kuć, Jovana Mrkić.
IRELAND: Emma Byrne (c), Sophie Perry, Louise Quinn, Niamh Fahey, Meabh De Búrca, Karen Duggan, Diane Caldwell (Denise O’Sullivan 70), Aine O’Gorman (Fiona O’Sullivan 60), Ruesha Littlejohn, Julie Ann Russell, Katie McCabe (Stephanie Roche 46).
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