A first-half winner from Cork history-maker Saoirse Noonan wasn’t enough at Páirc Uí Chaoimh as the hosts fell short of the four-goal victory needed to steal top spot and secure automatic Nations League promotion.
Carla Ward’s side went for it, but instead navigate the play-offs in October as they get another shot at promotion to League A. They’ll learn their fate in Friday’s draw, a third-place League A team lying in wait (Austria, Iceland, Belgium or Denmark).
As Saša Kolman and his players revelled in their incredible achievement — owing mainly to the 4-0 humbling in Koper in February — the Irish squad huddled quietly and paid tribute to the retiring Louise Quinn.
Much of the 9,433 fans stayed around on a windy night on Leeside to do so too. They hailed their home heroes Noonan, Denise O’Sullivan and Megan Connolly as they circled the pitch, the GAA markings still visible and points covered on the scoreboard.
Ward said Ireland would go gung-ho, and that they did. She made four changes from Friday’s 2-1 comeback win over Türkiye, three of them attacking, and gave Katie McCabe more licence to go forward. Noonan, Friday’s matchwinner and tonight’s Player of the Match Emily Murphy, and Kyra Carusa started, while Caitlin Hayes came into defence.
Noonan broke the deadlock in the 19th minute. It may have been written in the stars. The first sportsperson to play a competitive inter-county Gaelic football match and soccer international in the Páirc, Noonan headed home her second international goal after a superb delivery from Jessie Stapleton, right-back on the night.
Ireland had been piling on the pressure through an encouraging start against a stiff breeze; Noonan’s first chance cleared off the line amidst a raft of early corners. Anna Patten was among the others to go close, but Slovenia still held a threat on the counter.
The impressive Murphy and Abbie Larkin danced out wide, the latter and Connolly testing Zala Meršnik and finding their range from distance, while McCabe sent in some delicious deliveries, before Ireland hit the front.
They were fluid and hungry through one-way traffic, playing some of their best football of the campaign. Slovenia looked rattled, and resorted to frustrating. Maja Sternad was booked for a cynical foul on the clearly-targetted McCabe, while manager Kolman also saw yellow on the line.
Carusa really should have made it two with a hooked effort from close range, and the returning centre-forward saw a penalty shout waved away for a clear push from Meršnik. Murphy and Patten also had good chances from corners, Connolly and McCabe on song from the set-piece.
It felt like another was imminent, but the Slovenian transitional threat remained.
Courtney Brosnan stepped up with a huge save to deny Lara Prašnikar on the cusp of half time. The Eintracht Frankfurt star really should have done better one-on-one, having exposed the Irish defence, not for the first time. Hayes, making her first start under Ward, did bring further solidity, however.
Ireland would have wanted to have been more than one goal to the better at the break, but will have been encouraged by their efforts through the chaos. More of the same, please.
Silky O’Sullivan grew into the game more and more on the restart, but attacks weren’t quite as dangerous. That wasn’t helped by the stop-start nature of the contest, Slovenia doing their utmost to slow matters down with cynical challenges and unnecessary bookings.
Stapleton fluffed her lines with a free header; Connolly blazed over; Murphy was menacing, but Ireland were lacking a cutting edge as the game began to ebb away from them.
Emily Murphy in action for Ireland against Slovenia. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Just after the hour-mark, the Megan Campbell signal sounded. The long-throw specialist was introduced alongside Amber Barrett, and both looked to impact quickly. Hayes headed a Campbell slingshot over the bar, and Murphy skied a decent opportunity after being played through by Barrett. The Newcastle United forward later drew a good save after cutting in from the left.
Slovenia were living off scraps, but fired warning shots here and there. Brosnan dealt with all sent her way.
With 10 minutes to play, the retiring Louise Quinn was thrown into the action alongside Marissa Sheva. It was anticipated the towering centurion would be sent up top as Ireland chased more goals, but she went centre-back for cap 122.
Ireland kept knocking — and kept Meršnik on her toes — but couldn’t add to Noonan’s early header.
Amidst handbags down the stretch, Patten picked up her second yellow of the campaign, meaning she is suspended for the first leg of the play-offs.
A fifth win from six, and the best performance of Ward’s tenure, but mixed emotions at the death in Cork.
SLOVENIA: Zala Meršnik; Lana Golob, Sara Agrež; Kaja Korošec, Dominika Čonč; Lara Prašnikar (Korina Janež 90); Špela Kolbl, Sara Makovec, Kaja Eržen; Zara Kramžar, Maja Sternad (Nina Kajzba 68).
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Ireland beat Slovenia at Páirc Uí Chaoimh but fall short of four-goal win needed for top spot
Republic of Ireland 1
Slovenia 0
AT THE FINAL whistle, Slovenia celebrated wildly.
Ireland won the battle, but not the war.
A first-half winner from Cork history-maker Saoirse Noonan wasn’t enough at Páirc Uí Chaoimh as the hosts fell short of the four-goal victory needed to steal top spot and secure automatic Nations League promotion.
Carla Ward’s side went for it, but instead navigate the play-offs in October as they get another shot at promotion to League A. They’ll learn their fate in Friday’s draw, a third-place League A team lying in wait (Austria, Iceland, Belgium or Denmark).
As Saša Kolman and his players revelled in their incredible achievement — owing mainly to the 4-0 humbling in Koper in February — the Irish squad huddled quietly and paid tribute to the retiring Louise Quinn.
Much of the 9,433 fans stayed around on a windy night on Leeside to do so too. They hailed their home heroes Noonan, Denise O’Sullivan and Megan Connolly as they circled the pitch, the GAA markings still visible and points covered on the scoreboard.
Ward said Ireland would go gung-ho, and that they did. She made four changes from Friday’s 2-1 comeback win over Türkiye, three of them attacking, and gave Katie McCabe more licence to go forward. Noonan, Friday’s matchwinner and tonight’s Player of the Match Emily Murphy, and Kyra Carusa started, while Caitlin Hayes came into defence.
Noonan broke the deadlock in the 19th minute. It may have been written in the stars. The first sportsperson to play a competitive inter-county Gaelic football match and soccer international in the Páirc, Noonan headed home her second international goal after a superb delivery from Jessie Stapleton, right-back on the night.
Ireland had been piling on the pressure through an encouraging start against a stiff breeze; Noonan’s first chance cleared off the line amidst a raft of early corners. Anna Patten was among the others to go close, but Slovenia still held a threat on the counter.
The impressive Murphy and Abbie Larkin danced out wide, the latter and Connolly testing Zala Meršnik and finding their range from distance, while McCabe sent in some delicious deliveries, before Ireland hit the front.
They were fluid and hungry through one-way traffic, playing some of their best football of the campaign. Slovenia looked rattled, and resorted to frustrating. Maja Sternad was booked for a cynical foul on the clearly-targetted McCabe, while manager Kolman also saw yellow on the line.
Carusa really should have made it two with a hooked effort from close range, and the returning centre-forward saw a penalty shout waved away for a clear push from Meršnik. Murphy and Patten also had good chances from corners, Connolly and McCabe on song from the set-piece.
It felt like another was imminent, but the Slovenian transitional threat remained.
Courtney Brosnan stepped up with a huge save to deny Lara Prašnikar on the cusp of half time. The Eintracht Frankfurt star really should have done better one-on-one, having exposed the Irish defence, not for the first time. Hayes, making her first start under Ward, did bring further solidity, however.
Ireland would have wanted to have been more than one goal to the better at the break, but will have been encouraged by their efforts through the chaos. More of the same, please.
Silky O’Sullivan grew into the game more and more on the restart, but attacks weren’t quite as dangerous. That wasn’t helped by the stop-start nature of the contest, Slovenia doing their utmost to slow matters down with cynical challenges and unnecessary bookings.
Stapleton fluffed her lines with a free header; Connolly blazed over; Murphy was menacing, but Ireland were lacking a cutting edge as the game began to ebb away from them.
Just after the hour-mark, the Megan Campbell signal sounded. The long-throw specialist was introduced alongside Amber Barrett, and both looked to impact quickly. Hayes headed a Campbell slingshot over the bar, and Murphy skied a decent opportunity after being played through by Barrett. The Newcastle United forward later drew a good save after cutting in from the left.
Slovenia were living off scraps, but fired warning shots here and there. Brosnan dealt with all sent her way.
With 10 minutes to play, the retiring Louise Quinn was thrown into the action alongside Marissa Sheva. It was anticipated the towering centurion would be sent up top as Ireland chased more goals, but she went centre-back for cap 122.
Ireland kept knocking — and kept Meršnik on her toes — but couldn’t add to Noonan’s early header.
Amidst handbags down the stretch, Patten picked up her second yellow of the campaign, meaning she is suspended for the first leg of the play-offs.
A fifth win from six, and the best performance of Ward’s tenure, but mixed emotions at the death in Cork.
IRELAND: Courtney Brosnan; Jessie Stapleton (Megan Campbell 62), Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes, Katie McCabe; Emily Murphy, Megan Connolly, Denise O’Sullivan, Abbie Larkin (Louise Quinn 80); Saoirse Noonan (Amber Barrett 62), Kyra Carusa (Marissa Sheva 80).
SLOVENIA: Zala Meršnik; Lana Golob, Sara Agrež; Kaja Korošec, Dominika Čonč; Lara Prašnikar (Korina Janež 90); Špela Kolbl, Sara Makovec, Kaja Eržen; Zara Kramžar, Maja Sternad (Nina Kajzba 68).
Referee: Miriama Bockova (Slovakia).
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