John Fallon: Ireland women should heed past lessons in World Cup bid

Republic of Ireland players, including captain Katie McCabe, centre, and Denise O'Sullivan, right, celebrate their victory over Finland. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Leaving Helsinki’s storied stadium last Tuesday, there was a real inkling that Ireland’s women had used the venue to embark on their own piece of history.

In the arena that hosted the 1952 Olympic Games, as well as an Irish watershed of Eamonn Coghlan’s world gold medal 31 years later, a 2-1 win over Finland put the female footballers on a path to greatness. Beating the second seeds in a race for a top-two finish, especially away from home, marked a significant milestone in search of a first major tournament qualification.