After the now-trademark complexities of the qualification process, we have reached the sharp end of it all, where all is simplified and all the nervier for that.  

Ireland and Wales are each 180 minutes from their first appearance at the European Championship, taking place in Switzerland next year. They are each standing in the other’s way, meaning only the winner over two legs will qualify. There is no away goals rule in operation.  

The first leg is tonight in Cardiff, with the return leg fixed for the Aviva Stadium next Tuesday. 

There will be a record crowd for a women’s international at the Cardiff City Stadium tonight, with more than 16,000 tickets sold. 

Ireland are marginal favourites to qualify, and while missing out on a Euros so soon after playing at a first World Cup would be a big blow, this play-off looks set to be a fraught and close run thing. 

This is Gavin Cooney here on liveblog duty, with our reporter Emma Duffy in Cardiff. 

Kick off is at 7.15pm, the game is live on RTÉ Two television, and we will have team news for you shortly.

Team News

Ireland are without Aoife Mannion – who was ruled out at the start of the week – and Louise Quinn, whose absence was flagged earlier and is thus restricted to punditry duty for RTÉ. 

37-year-old Niamh Fahey has been picked to start in their absence, part of a back three with Anna Patten and Caitlin Hayes.

Elsewhere, Heather Payne returns to the side, with Lily Agg and Ruesha Littlejohn also returning to the side having missed the previous round’s cakewalk against Georgia. 

All of Abbie Larkin, Jessie Stapleton and Marissa Sheva drop out of the starting side, with Eileen Gleeson stressing the need for experience in her side. 

Katie McCabe is expected to start wide left, with Payne on the right. Littlejohn, Agg and Denise O’Sullivan make up the midfield, with Julie-Ann Russell joining Kyra Carusa in the front two.

Wales have named the same side as started the second leg of their previous round play-off against Slovakia, with all-time record scorer Jess Fishlock among their attacking players. 

These sides met in a friendly international at Tallaght Stadium in February, with Wales winning 2-0. 

Wales’ freshly-appointed manager, Rhian Wilkinson, watched on from the stands. Ireland’s defeat is caveated by the fact Denise O’Sullivan didn’t play and Katie McCabe was taken off with an injury – both happily start in Cardiff tonight. 

That friendly game has been a natural reference point this week, but Eileen Gleeson is shrugging it off. 

“We know February is a talking point, and it makes us more alert but we are not the same team as we were in February, Wales are not the same team as they were in February”, Gleeson told RTÉ ahead of kick off.

In-game management is key in close encounters, and this is a big test for Eileen Gleeson. After going from one extreme to the other in League B of the Nations League to facing Europe’s elite in the qualifying Group of Death, this is the first time she will face a team around the same level as Ireland’s in a competitive fixture. She must make the right calls at the right times, and outthink Rhian Wilkinson.

Read Emma Duffy’s match preview here. 

Been there, done that dept:

Amber Barrett scored the decisive goal in the World Cup play-off against Scotland two years ago, and is among the Irish subs tonight.

Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

A lights show precedes the players’ walk out to the Cardiff City Stadium, and everyone is now readying themselves for the anthems. 

A classically rousing rendition of Land of My Fathers brings the pre-game formalities to a close, and we’re only minutes from kick-off.

Peeeeeeep!

We are underway! Wales are wearing red, of course, with Ireland in white. 

2′ – Wales 0-0 Ireland

Scrappy start with Ireland showing an early sign of their strategy by sending a coupe of balls into the right channel for Kyra Carusa to chase, nether of which have come to any real success. 

Ireland do keep the pressure on Wales and convert a Welsh throw-in to an Irish one. 

7′ – Wales 0-0 Ireland 

Julie-Ann Russell has added so much energy to the Irish attack, and her pressing helps Ireland force a turnover midway into the Welsh half. Denise O’Sullivan sweeps it left for McCabe, who barrels her way past a couple of Welsh defenders but regrettably commits a foul in the process. 

8′ – Wales 0-0 Ireland

Wales attacker Ceri Holland has the ball close to the corner flag, and is hounded by McCabe and Littlejohn, who pretty clearly pushes Holland in the back right in front of the assistant, who instead flags for an Irish goal kick. Colour Holland unimpressed. 

11′ – Wales 0-0 Ireland

The first chance is Ireland’s. Niamh Fahey clips a lovely ball into the box for Carusa, who contorts her head and body in mid-air, Niall Quinn style, to head the ball square for Russell, whose touch is a little loose before she skews a half-volley well over the crossbar. 

Encouraging link-up play between Ireland’s front two. 

13′ – Wales o-0 Ireland 

And more good link-up between the front two. This time Anna Patten goes up the line for Carusa, who judged the ball much better than her Welsh marker. Carusa races to the endline and pulls a cross in for Russell, but Rhiannon Roberts brilliantly blocks the danger and concedes a corner. 

This has been a bright start by Ireland. 

14′ – Wales 0-0 Ireland 

Wales deal with the Irish corner and have brief hope of a counter before Littlejohn snuffs out the danger. 

This has been a bright start for Ireland: their three centre-backs have been super aggressive in following their opposite numbers into midfield and winning the ball high, and vertical balls for Carusa are causing Wales problems. 

17′ – Wales 0-0 Ireland 

It is at the end of one of these aggressive moments that Hayes is deemed to have committed a foul. Lily Woodham spears a fine cross into the box, but Fahey rises highest to head clear. 

GOAL! 

20′ – Wales 1-0 Ireland 

Wales score from their first real attack of the game! Holland slides the ball down the Welsh right for Fishlock, she whips the ball across and Fahey makes a hames of the near-post clearance: she swipes at it and miskicks it, seeing it travel behind her to the back-post and fall perfectly for left wing-back Lily Woodham, who slams the ball in at the first time of asking! 

23′ – Wales 1-0 Ireland 

Well, now. Ireland had started pretty well and looked comfortable in the game, so that Wales goal came out of nowhere. They happily have lots of time to respond, but this is a big test now. 

26′ – Wales 1-0 Ireland

Nice play by Ireland down the right flank: Patten snaps the ball into O’Sullivan’s feet who pops the ball off for Payne, who is bombing down the right wing. 

Ireland have three attackers in the box but Payne’s cross is too close to the Welsh goalkeeper. 

32′ – Wales 1-0 Ireland 

Ireland continue to go direct but now are getting very little change out of it, and Wales look comfortable. 

They have also done a good job of locking down McCabe: Holland, their right wing back is pressing right up on Ireland’s captain, with Rachel Rowe also shuttling across to put McCabe under pressure. Ireland have to find a way of getting McCabe into this game. 

GOAL!

33′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

And Ireland are level! 

It comes after a good period of pressure, and is delivered in slightly bizarre circumstances.

Littlejohn lines up a shot from more than 35 yards out from goal, and she loops it onto the crossbar: the ball then bounces off Welsh goalkeeper Olivia Clark and over the line for an own goal! 

36′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland

The ball crossed the line in fortuitous fashion for Ireland, but what an audacious original strike from Littlejohn. Ireland had upped the intensity attacking-wise in the minutes preceding the goal, and had started to find the strikers with balls to feet, which in turn brought O’Sullivan into the game. 

41′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland

There’s a real physical edge to the challenges in this game – which is unsurprising. Twice McCabe has tried to slide a ball down the side of the Welsh back three and neither have come off; Fishlock tries the same for Wales but Brosnan is off her line quickly to clear. 

Rowe is then pinged for closing down a Brosnan clearance and blocking it with an outstretched arm, rugby-style. 

Here’s the goal that has Ireland level:

GOAL IRELAND
35mins: WAL 1-1 IRL

Ruesha Littlejohn's long-range effort leads to Ireland's equaliser as the ball deflected in off Wales keeper Olivia Clark.

Updates: https://t.co/ataDAaChUV
Watch Live: https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7 pic.twitter.com/8Nt3fwSOCc

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 29, 2024

HT: Wales 1-1 Ireland 

There’s the break. 

Ireland definitely deserve to be level: they have shaded the run of the game and Wales scored with their only chance of the half. 

It’s been an enjoyable game: aggressive and physical and a little more open than we had any right to expect. 

Ireland look better whenever they can get O’Sullivan involved in midfield, and they’ve bypassed her too often. The Welsh workrate has been outstanding, and they have shackled McCabe…so far. 

We’re back in 15. 

One half-time change for Ireland: Marissa Sheva comes on for Lily Agg. 

Peeeep! The second half is underway! 

46′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Wales have made a change too, with Carrie Jones on for Alice Griffiths. 

47 – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Ffion Moran gets a sight on goal: Fahey thumps the ball up the line but Ireland lose the second ball, and Morgan has the Fahey-vacated space into which to run. No other Irish defender comes to close her down, so from inside the box she curls a right-footed shot toward the far corner, but it goes just wide of the far post. 

49′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland

McCabe is shoved across the endline by the Welsh substitute, Jones, as she allows the ball trickle out for a goal kick. As she falls, McCabe hooks her right foot in the air and appears to kick out at Jones, who makes absolutely nothing of it and jogs on. 

McCabe should be grateful to her opponent there: had Jones gone to ground to make an issue of it, McCabe might have found herself in bother. 

52′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland

Brosnan collects in her six-yard box as Wales cause a bit of consternation from a set piece. Wales have definitely made the brighter start to the second half. 

57 – Wales 1-1 Ireland

Payne wins a free-kick just over the halfway line, and McCabe’s delivery is brilliant, speared to the back post and over the Welsh high line, but it’s slightly too far ahead of Caitlin Hayes, and the ball runs our over the endline. 

60′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Yikes. Hayes has her pocket picked by Jones outside the Irish box, but the Welsh attacker’s touch is heavy and Fahey comes across brilliantly and thwacks the ball clear. 

The Welsh crowd make some noise and their players respond, as Rowe forces a corner. 

63′- Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Roberts climbs highest and meets Holland’s corner, but Littlejohn heads the ball away in front of the line, and Ireland concede another corner. 

Then it’s Brosnan’s time to shine: first she comes assertively to claim the corner and then she is in the right to spot to shuffle across her line to claim Jones’ curling shot from the edge of the box amid the follow-up. 

65′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Fair to say Wilkinson has got much more from her half-time sub than Gleeson: Carrie Jones has been terrific since her introduction, where Marissa Sheva has been anonymous. Then again, so have many Irish players since the break. 

68′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Now Littlejohn is pinged for a foul on Woodham down the left touchline. Wales remain on top, and this is an opportunity for another good delivery by Wales’ Ceri Holland…

70′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland

Ireland defend Holland’s in-swinger very well, though concede a throw-in on the far side. Wales recycle and Littlejohn is whistled for another foul, catching Rowe in the air with a flailing arm as they challenged for the ball. She was looking at the ball throughout so it wasn’t intentional on Littlejohn’s part. 

But as she is booked, Littlejohn shoves the remonstrating Jess Fishlock in the chest, who stumbles. Littlejohn is then guided away from the resultant pushing, and the referee books both Littlejohn and Fishlock. 

Fishlock eventually takes the free-kick, which is tame and easily gathered by Brosnan. 

74′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland

Ireland’s best moment of the half. Russel recovers to win the ball and roll it down the line for O’Sullivan, whose cross into the box is met by Sheva, and she sees her shot blocked behind for a corner. 

What can Katie deliver here? 

75′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Stunning save from Clarke! Ireland work the corner short through O’Sullivan, with McCabe hoisting the ball to the back post and nodded back across to Carusa, and the ball breaks kindly for Hayes, whose snap left-footed volley is pushed over the bar by the Welsh goalkeeper!

78′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland

Double change for Ireland: Jessie Stapleton and Leanne Kiernan replace Littlejohn – who was terrific – and Russell. 

80′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

And Wales make a change too: Josie Greene of Crystal Palace replaces the excellent Ceri Holland. 

81′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Rowe is booked for a foul on Patten, as the PA announcer confirms a record stadium crowd for a women’s international of 16,845. 

84′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland

This is finely-balanced ahead of Tuesday’s second leg now, so will anyone risk losing it to win it? 

85′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Ireland have been much better in the last few minutes, but O’Sullivan gives up possession in the centre circle to Fishlock, and Wales break: it’s three on three but the ball goes right to Carrie Jones, whose touch is heavy and allows McCabe recover and clear. 

87′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Wales up the pace and Fishlock pings a beautiful cross-field pass to Rowe, but Payne does extremely well to recover and snuff out the danger. Ireland then get a break as the referee gives them a free-kick for a very tame Rowe challenge on Payne. 

Meanwhile, Amber Barrett is about to come on for Ireland… 

89′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Barrett comes on for Carusa. 

Wales substitute their goalscorer, Woodham, in favour of Charlotte Estcourt. Woodham looks in pain: she would be a major loss for Wales in the second leg if she cannot make it. 

90′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland

FOUR additional minutes. 

Leanne Kiernan takes off down the left wing during the first of them, she sashays into the box but is eventually dispossessed. 

90+2′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland 

Big chance for Wales! Substitute Kayleigh Barton flies down the left wing and Jones can only glance a header wide! 

Jones should have ignored the cross, she had a team-mate unmarked at the back post but her half-header took it away from her. 

90+3′ – Wales 1-1 Ireland

Suddenly the game breaks into basketball. Wales win a free kick over the halfway line and sling it toward the box, Ireland clear the danger and suddenly Kiernan is breaking clear, but is finally stymied by a recovering Welsh defender. Wales attack then, but Ireland win the ball back and now they slow things down. 

Full-time 

Wales 1-1 Ireland 

And it ends level, so everything will be decided over 90 minutes (or more) in Dublin on Tuesday. 

Ireland shaded the first-half exchanges but Wales were the better side in the second-half, even if Wales’ Olivia Clark made the best save among both ‘keepers from Caitlin Hayes’ volley. 

Tuesday will be tense and fraught, but tonight will offer Ireland some encouragement but more food for thought, specifically how to get more out of McCabe from open play. 

The tie wasn’t going to be won tonight, but nobody lost it either. It’s going to be nervy on Tuesday night. 

Thanks for following, my colleague Emma Duffy will have a report and all the reaction from Cardiff shortly. Bye!