PLAY THE GAME, not the occasion.
Those were Katie McCabe’s last words in the dressing room before Ireland’s World Cup debut in Sydney. It ended in a 1-0 defeat to co-hosts Australia, but the Girls In Green certainly followed their captain’s instruction.
A mammoth crowd of 75,784, including no shortage of Irish support, ascended on Stadium Australia as Vera Pauw’s side made their first appearance at a major tournament.
Before leading her country out on the world stage, McCabe also urged her team-mates to remember the masses watching on” those at home, those who had flown across the world to witness history, and everyone in between.
Game face on, her eyes glossed over slightly during the emotion of Amhrán na bhFiann before a passionate, rallying ‘Come on, girls’ as the anthem wrapped up.
A typically all-action McCabe display followed, the skipper leading by example.
“Katie’s energy is contagious and when that girl presses up the field like she does, everyone is behind her,” Kyra Carusa said afterwards. “It’s electric.
“And that is something we are capable as a team of bringing so much earlier to a game.
“When Katie steps up on her side of the field, we all go. We talk about it all the time, when we go, we go as a team, that we always stick together in that and Katie leads us in that. Always.”
She’s a fierce competitor, a warrior. A relentless leader, with both style and substance.
Her battle with Hayley Raso was one for the ages. Not only was it a physical one, but a mental one. We’re well accustomed to seeing McCabe bringing the fight — in every sense of the word, at times — and playing on the edge, but this was a real example of being pushed to the very limit. Australia did their utmost to frustrate McCabe and test her temperament, but Ireland ultimately held the upper hand in that department.
The early action saw her steal yards from throw-ins, while she had her hands full shackling Raso and Ellie Carpenter from left wing-back. She was reminded not to push too far forward after being caught out by a Katrina Gorry nutmeg early on, and hardly put a foot wrong thereafter.
She was composed on the ball, running at Australia where possible and linking up with the likewise superb Denise O’Sullivan. On one occasion, it worked a treat after McCabe robbed Kyra Cooney-Cross and played a teasing ball in behind for Kyra Carusa but Gorry got there first. Just afterwards, she slipped Marissa Sheva in for Ireland’s first “shot” on target, a fluffed cross which was batted away.
But the duel with Raso, now of Real Madrid, was fascinating. Both went in hard time and time again and somehow finished up without yellow cards despite hefty challenges, while there was an off-ball tangle too. Cooney-Cross and Gorry also felt McCabe’s wrath at various points.
In the 35th minute, she required treatment after landing heavily on her hand while clearing past Carpenter on the edge of the Ireland box. She returned with two of her fingers strapped up, seemingly mouthing, “Is it broken?” at one point. The FAI have since reported no injury concerns, but that remains to be seen.
Her deliveries in the second half were sublime, both from corners and play, with one inswinger almost beating Mackenzie Arnold. She pushed further forward as Ireland chased an equaliser late on, the arrival of Izzy Atkinson — armed with a note for O’Sullivan and other instructions — allowing her to do so.
In the 97th minute, a big chance fell McCabe’s way. But she couldn’t get the ball out of her feet properly after an Abbie Larkin drawback and she sent a tame effort at Arnold. Her last act was a cross to Louise Quinn, which she nodded just wide.
So close, yet so far.
She rallied the troops afterwards, consoling Sheva after her unfortunate penalty consolation.
“In the huddle, Katie outlined an awful lot of positives,” Niamh Fahey explained. “Gutted we couldn’t make the pressure count overall in the end.”
Her Arsenal team-mate Caitlin Foord kindly stopped to speak to the Irish media in the mixed zone and she wasn’t surprised about that nature to proceedings. It’s the least she’d expect from a McCabe-led team.
“I know what she’s about. I knew what she wanted to bring. I guess a fiery battle – they gave us that, and we just didn’t want to get into it… play our game, and I think we did that most of the time.
“We knew how they like to play. We prepared for it and just didn’t want to get into it. Sometimes that’s hard because we’re a bit like that as well.”
“I think this game was just one that we wanted to get out of the way,” she added. “Before this game, no, we’re not friends. We can be now, unless she doesn’t want to any more!”
Parallels were predictably drawn with Roy Keane amidst the feisty clash.
“It was a very physical, very aggressive game wasn’t it?” RTÉ’s Tony O’Donoghue asked in the immediate aftermath.
The response was deadpan, and peak Katie McCabe.
“Yeah, I enjoyed it.”