A view from the couch: 'And that, basically, is that' for Ireland's history-makers 

Republic of Ireland players celebrate after Katie McCabe scores their first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 group B match at the Perth Rectangular Stadium, Western Australia. Pictures: PA 

A minute in, the first Olés could be heard from the Irish crowd in Perth. It wasn’t long before Kyra Carusa went so close, forcing a corner from the Canadian keeper to give us our first heart-stopping moment.

And then, as Katie McCabe struck that vicious, curling corner that whipped into the net, the hearts of the nation leapt as one.