AFTER A FOUR month layoff from international football, Carla Ward names her latest Republic of Ireland squad tomorrow afternoon.
Ireland face Belgium in their crunch Uefa Nations League promotion/relegation playoff over two legs on Friday 24 and Tuesday 28 October. They play host at Aviva Stadium first, before the return tie in Leuven where the winner secures League A status.
Courtney Brosnan is a significant doubt, having missed Everton’s last four games with a knee injury.
Ireland’s number one last played in a 2-1 defeat to London City Lionesses on 19 September. Emily Ramsey has deputised in her absence, while Katie Startup has signed on an emergency loan from Manchester City.
Brosnan is Ireland’s long-time first-choice goalkeeper: she has missed just one of their last 42 games, owing to suspension. Grace Moloney got the nod for last October’s 6-0 Euro 2025 playoff semi-final first leg against Georgia.
Sunderland’s Moloney has generally been the back-up, with seven caps to her name, but uncapped duo Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic) and Katie Keane (Leicester City) have been making their cases.
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Whitehouse has kept four clean sheets in six games, conceding just twice in WSL 2 this season, while Irish U19 star Keane recently impressed on an emergency loan at Sheffield United. One-cap Megan Walsh has also had some game time in the WSL with West Ham, but she has fallen down the Ireland pecking order of late.
Brosnan may be given time to prove her fitness by being named in the squad, but whether she will win the race for Belgium remains to be seen.
Denise O’Sullivan is trending in the right direction anyway, having made her return to the North Carolina Courage matchday squad for the first time since mid August at the weekend.
The midfield maestro had been sidelined with a knee injury, and while she didn’t feature in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Washington Spirt, her availability for selection is a major boost for Ward. O’Sullivan is one of Ireland’s most important players with 125 caps.
Another, Katie McCabe will spearhead the squad off the back of an improved performance for Arsenal. The Irish captain was benched last week as the European champions began their title defence with a 2-1 defeat to Lyon, but shook off her and her team’s slow start to the season with a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
McCabe returns to the squad after missing June’s international friendly defeats to USA, while Aoife Mannion should rejoin the established defensive cohort having also been unavailable. Megan Campbell could find herself amongst the absentees: the free agent hasn’t played since her release from London City Lionesses in May. Anna Patten is suspended for the first leg, which may open the door for another centre-half.
Ireland head coach Carla Ward with Denise O'Sullivan. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
While O’Sullivan should boost the midfield, Megan Connolly has emerged as a concern having missed Lazio’s last two games. Jess Ziu and Jamie Finn have both returned to action from ACL injuries, and have been pushing for their first call-ups under Ward.
Injury-plagued left-sided star Tara O’Hanlon is back in matchday squads for Sunderland, where she is on loan from Manchester City, but this camp may come too soon.
Leanne Kiernan is the main attacking injury doubt, having missed several Liverpool games with a foot injury though the prognosis has been optimistic. Saoirse Noonan and Amber Barrett have been in fine goalscoring form for Celtic and Standard Liège respectively: the latter’s domestic insight into Belgium could be helpful.
Women’s Premier Division Golden Boot winner Kelly Brady should be on the radar, but Ward may indeed wait for a friendly window to recruit new faces. The US-born former Ireland U19 international hit the 20-goal mark on Saturday, as Athlone Town lifted their second league title.
There have been other calls from the Midlands for international opportunties, namely for defender Kayleigh Shine and winger Róisín Molloy, as Athlone aim to win their first ever double in Sunday’s FAI Cup final against Bohemians.
Shelbourne duo Aoibheann Clancy and Alex Kavanagh, and Wexford’s Ellen Molloy, are the only home-based players to have been called up by Ward to date. Ruesha Littlejohn was included while at Shamrock Rovers, but she has since returned to English football with Crystal Palace.
Big decisions ahead for this decisive double-header: they start with tomorrow’s squad announcement.
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Brosnan the big doubt as Ward prepares to name Ireland squad for Belgium playoff
AFTER A FOUR month layoff from international football, Carla Ward names her latest Republic of Ireland squad tomorrow afternoon.
Ireland face Belgium in their crunch Uefa Nations League promotion/relegation playoff over two legs on Friday 24 and Tuesday 28 October. They play host at Aviva Stadium first, before the return tie in Leuven where the winner secures League A status.
Courtney Brosnan is a significant doubt, having missed Everton’s last four games with a knee injury.
Ireland’s number one last played in a 2-1 defeat to London City Lionesses on 19 September. Emily Ramsey has deputised in her absence, while Katie Startup has signed on an emergency loan from Manchester City.
Brosnan is Ireland’s long-time first-choice goalkeeper: she has missed just one of their last 42 games, owing to suspension. Grace Moloney got the nod for last October’s 6-0 Euro 2025 playoff semi-final first leg against Georgia.
Sunderland’s Moloney has generally been the back-up, with seven caps to her name, but uncapped duo Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic) and Katie Keane (Leicester City) have been making their cases.
Whitehouse has kept four clean sheets in six games, conceding just twice in WSL 2 this season, while Irish U19 star Keane recently impressed on an emergency loan at Sheffield United. One-cap Megan Walsh has also had some game time in the WSL with West Ham, but she has fallen down the Ireland pecking order of late.
Brosnan may be given time to prove her fitness by being named in the squad, but whether she will win the race for Belgium remains to be seen.
Denise O’Sullivan is trending in the right direction anyway, having made her return to the North Carolina Courage matchday squad for the first time since mid August at the weekend.
The midfield maestro had been sidelined with a knee injury, and while she didn’t feature in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Washington Spirt, her availability for selection is a major boost for Ward. O’Sullivan is one of Ireland’s most important players with 125 caps.
Another, Katie McCabe will spearhead the squad off the back of an improved performance for Arsenal. The Irish captain was benched last week as the European champions began their title defence with a 2-1 defeat to Lyon, but shook off her and her team’s slow start to the season with a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
McCabe returns to the squad after missing June’s international friendly defeats to USA, while Aoife Mannion should rejoin the established defensive cohort having also been unavailable. Megan Campbell could find herself amongst the absentees: the free agent hasn’t played since her release from London City Lionesses in May. Anna Patten is suspended for the first leg, which may open the door for another centre-half.
While O’Sullivan should boost the midfield, Megan Connolly has emerged as a concern having missed Lazio’s last two games. Jess Ziu and Jamie Finn have both returned to action from ACL injuries, and have been pushing for their first call-ups under Ward.
Injury-plagued left-sided star Tara O’Hanlon is back in matchday squads for Sunderland, where she is on loan from Manchester City, but this camp may come too soon.
Leanne Kiernan is the main attacking injury doubt, having missed several Liverpool games with a foot injury though the prognosis has been optimistic. Saoirse Noonan and Amber Barrett have been in fine goalscoring form for Celtic and Standard Liège respectively: the latter’s domestic insight into Belgium could be helpful.
Women’s Premier Division Golden Boot winner Kelly Brady should be on the radar, but Ward may indeed wait for a friendly window to recruit new faces. The US-born former Ireland U19 international hit the 20-goal mark on Saturday, as Athlone Town lifted their second league title.
There have been other calls from the Midlands for international opportunties, namely for defender Kayleigh Shine and winger Róisín Molloy, as Athlone aim to win their first ever double in Sunday’s FAI Cup final against Bohemians.
Shelbourne duo Aoibheann Clancy and Alex Kavanagh, and Wexford’s Ellen Molloy, are the only home-based players to have been called up by Ward to date. Ruesha Littlejohn was included while at Shamrock Rovers, but she has since returned to English football with Crystal Palace.
Big decisions ahead for this decisive double-header: they start with tomorrow’s squad announcement.
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