IRELAND’S YOUNG GUNS have qualified for the Elite Round of the Uefa Women’s U17 Championship in style after a 6-0 win over Lithuania.
Muireann Devaney set the tone with just 20 seconds on the clock in Marijampole, with Erin McLaughlin following suit with a brace and Ellen Molloy adding a clever under-the-wall free-kick to leave James Scott’s side 4-0 up going in at the break.
An Aoiheann Clancy penalty and a 74th-minute strike from Kerry Brown made it 6-0.
It was a successful night all round with Cork City’s Olivia Gibson, Wexford Youths’ Aimee Bates Crosbie and Fairview Rangers’ Jenna Slattery all making their respective debuts from the bench.
The Girls In Green currently top Group 7 with a +16 goal difference over second-placed Greece — who they face on Monday [1pm, Irish time].
🎥| Players who love an 'under the wall' free-kick ⚽️
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) September 13, 2019
🇧🇷 Ronaldinho
🇦🇷 Lionel Messi
🇮🇪 Ellen Molloy#IRLWU17 #COYGIG pic.twitter.com/dDSYYV2yNT
Already qualified for the Elite Round with a game to spare, Ireland now battle it out for top spot against the Greeks in Alytus. On Tuesday, they beat Albania 10-0.
“It was a superb performance and we played some excellent football and I’m delighted to see us qualify for the Elite Round,” head coach Scott said afterwards. “At times it was a joy to watch and it was the type of football you love to see all Irish teams play – girls or boys.
“Lithuania aren’t a bad side, they have a goalkeeper and a centre forward that have played against Wexford Youths in the Champions League but we did everything right. We attacked and defended well and the girls were excellent.”
Scott added: “We can enjoy this win but ideally we’d love to top the group. The players were already thinking about Greece straight after the game so that shows their determination to win.
“We’ll have a rest day on Saturday and the players will enjoy time with their family then we’ll be ready to go for Monday.”
The top two sides in each group plus the two third-placed teams with the best record against the top two in their section join top seeds Spain and holders Germany in the Elite Round draw on 21 November.
Then, the finals take place in Sweden with the hosts Sweden getting a bye to the eight-team tournament from 9 to 22 May 2020.
It will also act as Europe’s qualifier for the 2020 Fifa U17 Women’s World Cup in India,
Republic of Ireland: Leah Hayes (GK), Kate Slevin (Aimee Crosbie Bates,76), Therese Kinnevey (Chloe McCarthy, 56), Della Doherty (C), Shauna Brennan (Jenna Slattery, 76), Aoibheann Clancy, Becky Watkins (Aoife Horgan, 66), Muireann Devaney (Olivia Gibson, 66), Erin McLaughlin, Ellen Molloy, Kerry Brown.
Unused substitutions: Emma Ring (GK), Orlagh Fitzpatrick, Kate O’Dowd, Laura Shine.
With the warm-up games out of the way, Murray, Bernard and Gavan discuss the renewed cause for optimism, impressive individual player form, and a potential quarter-final versus either South Africa or New Zealand.
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