Ireland 0-2 Wales
Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
There were positives to take as Ireland earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw away to an Italy side ranked 10 places above them in last week’s friendly.
However, Eileen Gleeson’s side will be hoping to improve the attacking aspects of their game with chances few and far between in Florence.
In front of what is expected to be a record crowd in the recently developed Tallaght Stadium now allowing for a capacity of over 10,000 (7,632 for last year’s World Cup warm-up clash with France is the current record).
They will be expected to win against a Wales side eight places below them in the rankings, while Gleeson and the team will be hoping to maintain a run that has seen them go unbeaten since last summer’s World Cup.
Wales, meanwhile, will be keen to make a positive impression. Former Canada defender Rhian Wilkinson was just announced as their new manager yesterday, succeeding Gemma Grainger, who left to take charge of Norway.
Wilkinson hasn’t officially taken up her role yet, but she will be in attendance tonight.
Confirmation of the Ireland starting XI below, with Amber Barrett and Leanne Kiernan coming into the team in place of Kyra Carusa and Izzy Atkinson, who both drop to the bench.
STARTING XI | Ireland v Cymru
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) February 27, 2024
Leanne and Amber come back into the starting line-up 👊
KO at 7:30pm #COYGIG | #OUTBELIEVE pic.twitter.com/HRKVHSXCJY
And here is the Wales team for tonight…
CYMRU XI 🇮🇪🏴
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) February 27, 2024
Ready for our first match in 2024 🫡#TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/iXFul1etMO
Who do you think will win?
Poll Results:
There’s been a late change to Ireland’s starting XI…
Late change to the line-up.
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) February 27, 2024
Diane Caldwell replaces Niamh Fahey.#COYGIG | #OUTBELIEVE pic.twitter.com/EA5iwtf4Lz
We’re underway…
4 mins: It’s been a fairly uneventful opening.
There’s been a couple of sloppy Irish passes that Wales haven’t been able to take any real advantage of.
IRELAND 0-1 WALES (FISHLOCK 7)
A corner is only half-cleared after a goalmouth scramble.
A cross-shot is then converted from close range by Fishlock as early Wales pressure tells.
9 mins: It’s not been the best of starts for Ireland.
Shortly after the goal, a completely unmarked Hughes heads over from a corner.
Ireland have not dealt well with their opponents’ set pieces so far.
13 mins: There’s some nice inter-play down the left involving McCabe and Littlejohn.
Kiernan’s subsequent cross hits the roof of the net.
16 mins: So close!
Connolly plays a corner in and Barrett’s goalbound shot is blocked by the goalkeeper Clark after an initial shot by Hayes is stopped.
Ireland have started to come alive after being punished for a sluggish opening few minutes.
19 mins: There’s been a long stoppage in play.
Rhiannon Roberts is hobbling and looks like she may have to come off.
IRELAND 0-2 WALES (WOODHAM 22)
A cross is played across the Irish box and Woodham fires home superbly, beating Brosnan at her near post.
Ireland looked to be coming back into the game but that’s a hammer blow from the impressive visitors.
Here’s a look at the opening goal…
Ireland 0-1 Cymru
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 27, 2024
From a corner in the seventh minute the ball makes its way to Jess Fishlock and she nets her 40th international goal
📺Watch live on @RTE2 and https://t.co/b2OI4OoWVJ
📱Live updates on @rtenews app #rtesport #WNT #COYGIG pic.twitter.com/YZfiwytAiE
26 mins: James makes a dangerous run down the left, getting away from Connolly, before winning a corner after Caldwell’s timely challenge stops the shot.
Ireland are very much second best at the moment.
36 mins: It’d been a very disjointed first-half performance from Ireland.
They have not been able to acquire any real rhythm in their play with far too many misplaced passes.
Despite the pace of Kiernan, they’ve struggled to get in behind Wales, who are pushing up and having the better possession and territory.
Barring a dramatic improvement in the next few minutes, Gleeson will surely make changes at the break.
44 mins: Ziu does well to get in a cross, but Kiernan mishits her finish.
Moments later, Connolly gives the ball away cheaply, allowing Wales to counter.
That just about sums up Ireland’s error-ridden first half.
HALF-TIME: IRELAND 0-2 WALES
Well, that’s that. It’s almost certainly the worst 45 minutes Ireland have played since Gleeson took charge.
Wales, to be fair, have been impressive and new manager Rhian Wilkinson will be delighted with what she has seen.
Ireland began slowly and the visitors took the game to their opponents, with clinical finishes from Fishlock and Woodham rewarding their excellent start.
The hosts have been very poor in possession while looking toothless in attack.
The introduction into the starting XI of Kienan and Barrett has not had the desired effect as of yet while losing Niamh Fahey to an aggravated quad injury in the warm-up has not helped matters either.
Here’s a look at Wales’ excellent second goal…
Ireland 0-2 Wales
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 27, 2024
22 minutes again and Lily Woodham doubles Wales' lead - the left-back with a fine finish
📺Watch live on @RTE2 and https://t.co/b2OI4OoWVJ
📱Live updates on https://t.co/dV9ScylTkr#rtesport #WNT #COYGIG pic.twitter.com/iMNj7DtOHK
Ireland make changes during the break,
Quinn, Carusa and debutant Murphy are on.
Kiernan, Barrett and Caldwell (who picked up a knock towards the end of the first half) are off.
The second half has begun…
Ireland have switched to three at the back.
Hayes, Quinn and Connolly are the centre-backs, while McCabe and Payne are the wing-backs.
49 mins: A dangerous Connolly corner is palmed clear by Clark.
Ireland have started the half strongly.
Meanwhile, a record attendance for an Irish women’s international of 8,218 has just been announced.
James has just been booked for cynically hacking down Ziu.
The West Ham youngster has been one of Ireland’s more impressive performers this evening.
59 mins: McCabe finds herself in a decent position wide left but overhits the cross.
It just hasn’t been her night so far.
63 mins: Triple change for Wales.
Holland, Estcourt and Powell are on.
Woodham, Roberts and James are off.
66 mins: A Littlejohn shot from distance is comfortably saved by Clark.
Ireland haven’t given up by any means, but the build-up play is still very laboured.
71 mins: Another change for Wales.
Rachel Rowe is replaced by Carrie Jones.
Meanwhile, McCabe appeared to pick up a knock and is also substituted, with Izzy Atkinson taking her place.
76 mins: Carusa is chopped down as she goes past Evans.
Just under 15 minutes of normal time remain for Ireland to rescue something from this game.
80 mins: Payne does well to escape her marker down the right, but the subsequent cross goes straight into Clark’s arms.
It hasn’t exactly been a late rally — Ireland are looking a little short of ideas.
As I type. Holland’s shot goes straight into Brosnan’s arms.
The goalkeeper tries to release it quickly but is blatantly shoulder-barged by Elise Hughes, who gets booked and is then replaced by Kayleigh Barton.
Another change sees Lois Joel replace the opening goalscorer Jessica Fishlock.
88 mins: Jess Ziu has been named Ireland’s player of the match. She’s certainly been one of the bright sparks of a disappointing team performance.
Meanwhile, another change sees Stapleton replaced by Lily Agg.
There will be five minutes of stoppage time.
Looks like Ireland will be claiming a consolation at most at this point.
90 mins: Connolly’s corner finds Hayes but the latter’s header hits the roof of the net.
Will that prove to be their last chance?
FULL-TIME: IRELAND 0-2 WALES
So that’s that.
Ireland’s unbeaten run under Eileen Gleeson had to come to an end at some point and so it proved this evening.
Having gained a creditable draw in Italy last week, this performance was less impressive.
A sloppy start was punished by the clinical visitors, while an out-of-sorts Ireland struggled to break down their opponents’ well-organised backline thereafter.
There were a couple of half-chances, but ultimately, the hosts can have few complaints about the result.
Jess Ziu impressed, but otherwise there weren’t too many positives, with the likes of McCabe, Barrett and Kiernan failing to have a significant impact on the game,
Right, that’s all from me for now.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned as we’ll have plenty more reaction on the site shortly.
