A NEW CAMPAIGN and the next opportunity as the Road to Brazil 2027 begins.
Carla Ward’s Ireland squad assembled in Dublin yesterday, and trained at FAI HQ in Abbotstown this afternoon ahead of their opening World Cup qualifier against France at Tallaght Stadium next Tuesday.
All 23 players trained, with returning number one goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan among those up for media duties afterwards.
At the outset of a new campaign, and after the heartbreak of missing Euro 2025, that feeling is stronger than ever.
“Everyone’s excited about what we’re able to achieve in terms of the past the past World Cup and the results against Belgium (in the Nations League playoff),” Brosnan tells The 42.
“The full focus now is on this League A campaign and the Road to Brazil. We’re doing everything that we can to prepare the best that we can for these games and continue to push forward because we know this team has a lot more to continue to achieve. I think everyone’s on the same page that that’s what they want and we will keep working for that.
“As I’ve said and loads of the girls have said before, this is where we want to be and we believe we deserve to be. We want to be playing these games against the likes of France and the Netherlands. There’s always room for improvement, 100%, from everyone. We’re going to have to keep making these improvements and step forwards if we want to keep competing against these teams.”
Brosnan will reclaim to the number one jersey for the first time since last June’s friendlies against USA. Having missed the Belgium playoff with a knee injury — she watched on at Aviva Stadium with her family as Grace Moloney deputised — Sophie Whitehouse then won her first cap when Brosnan returned for the year-ending friendly against Hungary in Marbella.
The US-born 30-year-old has been in outstanding form with Everton, having recently extended her contract until 2028. No doubt there was interest elsewhere: she routinely turns in Player of the Match performances, produces stunning saves, and is widely considered in the form of her career. Brosnan is unsure about the latter point, however.
“I don’t know. I think it’s an interesting question because I feel like football’s always like ups and downs and it’s just a journey. You can never think that too positive in the good moments and too low in the low moments.
“As a goalkeeper, I think you can talk to other players, they would see the same. You just try to keep that cool, that calmness, things like that. And you kind of just try to make sure that you’re prepared and enjoying the process and not think too much about the outcome and where you’re at.”
Katie McCabe and Denise O'Sullivan arrive for training. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Brosnan comes into camp off the back of a 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool. Denise O’Sullivan was on the winning team in Sunday’s Merseyside Derby, having recently joined Liverpool after almost a decade in America.
Club bragging rights aside, Brosnan is happy to welcome her new neighbour to the city.
“It’s great to have her close. To have more Irish girls around is unbelievable. We’re such a close team. I’m really excited for Denise and it’ll be nice to have more friends to get coffee with on the weekends for sure!”
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The coffees will be in Dublin this week as Ireland prepare for the visit of top seeds Les Bleues (ranked seventh in the world, 20 places above Ireland) on Tuesday before a trip to Utrecht to face Netherlands (11th) the following Saturday.
O’Sullivan has been wearing strapping on her right knee as a precaution in recent weeks, but trained free of it this afternoon. Gary Cronin was involved in his first session as assistant coach, having been appointed as Alan Mahon’s replacement in the new year. Performance analyst Jasmine Mander was another new face: Mander was one of the Canadian staffers sacked over a drone ‘spying’ controversy at the 2024 Olympic Games, and The Irish Examiner reports she has joined Ward’s staff after serving a 12-month Fifa ban.
Meanwhile, France have had some notable injury setbacks with Lyon defender Selma Bacha and Real Madrid forward Naomie Feller forced to withdraw from the squad.
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'We know this team has a lot more to achieve' - Brosnan and Ireland back in business
A NEW CAMPAIGN and the next opportunity as the Road to Brazil 2027 begins.
Carla Ward’s Ireland squad assembled in Dublin yesterday, and trained at FAI HQ in Abbotstown this afternoon ahead of their opening World Cup qualifier against France at Tallaght Stadium next Tuesday.
All 23 players trained, with returning number one goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan among those up for media duties afterwards.
15 months ago, she sat in the same room and stated, ‘You don’t want to be the team that just qualifies for one major tournament’.
At the outset of a new campaign, and after the heartbreak of missing Euro 2025, that feeling is stronger than ever.
“Everyone’s excited about what we’re able to achieve in terms of the past the past World Cup and the results against Belgium (in the Nations League playoff),” Brosnan tells The 42.
“The full focus now is on this League A campaign and the Road to Brazil. We’re doing everything that we can to prepare the best that we can for these games and continue to push forward because we know this team has a lot more to continue to achieve. I think everyone’s on the same page that that’s what they want and we will keep working for that.
“As I’ve said and loads of the girls have said before, this is where we want to be and we believe we deserve to be. We want to be playing these games against the likes of France and the Netherlands. There’s always room for improvement, 100%, from everyone. We’re going to have to keep making these improvements and step forwards if we want to keep competing against these teams.”
Brosnan will reclaim to the number one jersey for the first time since last June’s friendlies against USA. Having missed the Belgium playoff with a knee injury — she watched on at Aviva Stadium with her family as Grace Moloney deputised — Sophie Whitehouse then won her first cap when Brosnan returned for the year-ending friendly against Hungary in Marbella.
The US-born 30-year-old has been in outstanding form with Everton, having recently extended her contract until 2028. No doubt there was interest elsewhere: she routinely turns in Player of the Match performances, produces stunning saves, and is widely considered in the form of her career. Brosnan is unsure about the latter point, however.
“I don’t know. I think it’s an interesting question because I feel like football’s always like ups and downs and it’s just a journey. You can never think that too positive in the good moments and too low in the low moments.
“As a goalkeeper, I think you can talk to other players, they would see the same. You just try to keep that cool, that calmness, things like that. And you kind of just try to make sure that you’re prepared and enjoying the process and not think too much about the outcome and where you’re at.”
Brosnan comes into camp off the back of a 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool. Denise O’Sullivan was on the winning team in Sunday’s Merseyside Derby, having recently joined Liverpool after almost a decade in America.
Club bragging rights aside, Brosnan is happy to welcome her new neighbour to the city.
“It’s great to have her close. To have more Irish girls around is unbelievable. We’re such a close team. I’m really excited for Denise and it’ll be nice to have more friends to get coffee with on the weekends for sure!”
The coffees will be in Dublin this week as Ireland prepare for the visit of top seeds Les Bleues (ranked seventh in the world, 20 places above Ireland) on Tuesday before a trip to Utrecht to face Netherlands (11th) the following Saturday.
O’Sullivan has been wearing strapping on her right knee as a precaution in recent weeks, but trained free of it this afternoon. Gary Cronin was involved in his first session as assistant coach, having been appointed as Alan Mahon’s replacement in the new year. Performance analyst Jasmine Mander was another new face: Mander was one of the Canadian staffers sacked over a drone ‘spying’ controversy at the 2024 Olympic Games, and The Irish Examiner reports she has joined Ward’s staff after serving a 12-month Fifa ban.
Meanwhile, France have had some notable injury setbacks with Lyon defender Selma Bacha and Real Madrid forward Naomie Feller forced to withdraw from the squad.
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