ONE TALKING POINT dominated the conversation yesterday in Abbotsown.
Katie McCabe’s inclusion after a worrying injury midweek.
“Can I start with the positive news that everyone wants to know?” began Vera Pauw, as she announced her 27-strong squad for the upcoming back-to-back friendlies against the USA.
A summation of the prognosis? X-ray and scan clear, bad bruising of the bone and a race against time to see if the captain and left-sided star will feature against the world champions Stateside next Saturday and Tuesday week.
“No fear for the World Cup,” Pauw confirmed to a sigh of relief from Irish fans everywhere.
The Ireland manager called up three new faces: Sophie Whitehouse, Tara O’Hanlon and Alannah McEvoy. Lewes goalkeeper Whitehouse qualifies through her Dublin-born mother, but is eligible to represent England, Tanzania and the USA.
O’Hanlon and McEvoy are among five home-based players in the squad, the pair lighting up the Women’s Premier Division with Peamount United and Shamrock Rovers respectively.
Pauw explained that McCabe’s injury scare ultimately paved the way for O’Hanlon, but the Peas defender has impressed and is tipped for a big future.
McCabe will be counting her lucky stars not to be on a lengthy injury list which currently features Niamh Fahey, Leanne Kiernan, Chloe Mustaki, Ellen Molloy and Jess Ziu, among others. Pauw has repeatedly all but ruled Molloy and Ziu out of the World Cup, but the young duo remain hopeful on the comeback trail from cruciate ligament knee injuries.
Megan Campbell is another absentee, the Liverpool defender unavailable due to “personal circumstances” but she should be among a raft of returnees in June.
Looking at the last squad from February’s friendly draw with China PR in Spain, Naoisha McAloon, Claire Walsh, Deborah Anne De La Harpe, Lucy Quinn and Izzy Atkinson also miss out this time around.
Mainly, it’s down to selection, with further choices complicated by the need for an extra left-footed player amidst the McCabe fears.
“Lucy is [out] on the basis that another player is better than her,” Pauw answered when asked specifically about Birmingham City striker Quinn.
The in-form Jessie Stapleton, Roma McLaughlin and Claire O’Riordan also get their chance, with the manager stressing openings remain going forward. One other new player may enter the fold next week, joining the squad for assessment at training.
A pool of 40 players has been widely referenced in recent weeks, and it’s understood a list of 50 must be submitted to Fifa in June. The World Cup squad will be whittled down to 23 in early July.
“That stays open until the last moment,” Pauw stressed.
“We are planning and we are assessing but very, very consciously because we know that we are making and breaking dreams. I hate my job at that moment but I don’t moan because it’s harder for the players to receive the message.
“Every single moment of every single player is seen every week. It’s narrowing down of course and players also feel they are on the edge if they cannot make it now.”
Amidst the chopping and changing, there’s stability elsewhere. Denise O’Sullivan is primed and ready to earn her 100th cap in the US, joining Louise Quinn, Áine O’Gorman and Fahey as the current crop’s centurions.
Aside from Whitehouse’s inclusion at the expense of McAloon, there’s no change in the goalkeeping department. Louise Quinn heads up a familiar defensive cohort, with Aoife Mannion rewarded for her excellent debut against China. Newcomer Marissa Sheva is also back in the mix amidst recognisable forwards, while Ruesha Littlejohn has overcome another injury setback to put her hand up in midfield.
The daunting double-header in Austin, Texas and St Louis, Misouri, is Ireland’s last overseas venture before World Cup preparations ramp up in Dublin in June. Lengthy camps are planned along with send-off friendlies against Zambia and France at Tallaght Stadium on 22 June and 6 July respectively.
Then they’re Brisbane bound, based on the east coast of Australia for their first-ever major tournament. Ireland face the co-hosts along with Olympic champions Canada and Nigeria in Group B. They open their campaign against the Matildas in Sydney on 20 July, before travelling to Perth to play Canada on the 26th and rounding off the group stages back at their Brisbane base against Nigeria on the 31st.
Should they progress from their group, it’s likely European champions England who lie in wait.
A pair of showdowns against the USA is perfect preparation, but challenging to say the very least.
“We need to play at the highest level imaginable. When you need to get to a certain point, you have to take risks of failure because otherwise you’ll not get ready,” Pauw concluded.
“You have to pull yourself out of your comfort zone to get to the highest level. If you get a bad defeat then of course you don’t want that and it will hurt us, but it’s better now than in the first game of the World Cup.”
