IRELAND CENTURION NIAMH Fahey has been ruled out of the opening Euro 2025 qualifiers against France and England with a calf injury.
The Liverpool captain travelled to Dublin to be assessed by the Irish medical team yesterday, but has since departed the set-up with no player called up as a replacement.
Fahey was named in Eileen Gleeson’s squad last Thursday but soon emerged as a major doubt for France in Metz on Friday, and England at the Aviva Stadium next Tuesday.
At a club press conference which coincided with the Ireland squad announcement, Liverpool manager Matt Beard said that the 36-year-old would be “out for a few weeks” with a calf injury.
Put to Gleeson by The 42, the Irish head coach said: “Niamh has been receiving some medical scans on the calf. We’re in constant touch with the club.
“We have decided to bring her in and assess her with us and see whether it is a longer-term view to the second game against England. At the moment, we have her in the squad and we can update further then once we get to have that assessment. The conversations are ongoing with the club.”
As expected, Fahey missed Liverpool’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday.
The FAI confirmed a calf strain in a statement this morning.
The Galway native has struggled with calf injuries since early 2023. She did not feature from the World Cup to the February friendly against Italy, in which she turned in a Player of the Match performance. She was a late withdrawal from the Wales clash after aggravating her quad in the warm-up.
Fahey’s fellow centre-back Anna Patten received international clearance yesterday, and should make her Ireland debut in the coming days.
Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (London City Lionesses), Sophie Whitehouse (Lewes).
Defenders: Jessie Stapleton (Reading – on loan from West Ham United), Diane Caldwell (FC Zurich), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Caitlin Hayes (Celtic), Anna Patten (Aston Villa), Megan Campbell (London City Lionesses).
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Bristol City), Ruesha Littlejohn (London City Lionesses), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Lily Agg (Birmingham City), Heather Payne (Everton), Jess Ziu (West Ham United), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Izzy Atkinson (Crystal Palace).
Forwards: Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Amber Barrett (Standard Liege), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Emily Murphy (Wake Forest University).
Fixtures
- France v Ireland, Friday 5 April, Saint-Smyphorien Stadium, Metz, 8.10pm Irish time, RTÉ 2.
- Ireland v England, Tuesday 9 April, Aviva Stadium, 7.30pm, RTÉ 2.
