John Fallon: Ireland women deserving of their sacred standing

From Vera Pauw's viewpoint, the permutations are fairly straightforward. Record a second win over Finland on September 1 and the playoff berth is Ireland's.

Roaring home: Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw celebrates with her players in the team huddle after the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 qualifying match between Sweden and Republic of Ireland in Gothenburg, Sweden. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

“Sacramentally tangled”.

Perhaps Ireland’s women’s World Cup pool heading into the business end was best characterised by Slovakia’s manager, Peter Kopúň.

Five of the 20 games in Group A remain, with only two certainties established — that Sweden finish top and Georgia bottom.

In between are the trio of Finland, Ireland and the Slovaks, the cluster from which one will prevail to claim a spot among the nine European sides competing in the October playoffs. That outlook will be clearer in June once Vera Pauw’s side get their game in hand – the trip to Georgia postponed from last year due to Covid red-list issues – out of the way. Nothing other than a convincing victory over the minnows is envisaged.

That would shuttle Ireland into second, a point ahead of Finland and six over the Slovaks, each with two fixtures apiece in September to complete the campaign.

It should go without saying that Ireland have control of their own destiny, were it not for the fact that the Finnish do likewise. Six points against Ireland and Sweden and natural order will resume for the second seeds.

Such a scenario would seem improbable based on the complexion of the group to date. Finland were already filleted by Pauw’s Tigers in Helsinki and Sweden haven’t lost a qualifier in four years.

From Ireland’s viewpoint, the permutations are fairly straightforward. Record a second win over Finland on September 1 and the playoff berth is theirs.

Avoid defeat – thereby maintaining the single point buffer – and their fate will hinge in accomplishing the mission of matching Finland’s result in the final series five days later. Finland host Sweden while Ireland are in Slovakia.

Indeed, Ireland could afford to lose in Bratislava, see Finland claim a draw off the Swedes, and still stave off their challenge for second.

That’s due to the decisive criteria of head-to-head results applied by Fifa when teams end level on points.

Slovakia’s hopes of expanding the two-way tussle will be extinguished in June, presuming Ireland don’t surpass the high of drawing with Sweden by descending to a low of slipping up in the Balkans.

All the aforementioned possibilities are the type Irish teams have history of botching.

Just under two years ago, both the men’s U21s and women’s seniors stumbled on the final hurdle to playoff nirvana; the males failing to beat Iceland at home and Pauw’s crew unable to accrue the necessary draw in Ukraine.

Yet there’s so many reasons to feel this team can shatter the glass ceiling of clinching a runners-up spot.

Last Tuesday’s 1-1 draw in Gothenburg has been compared to holding recently crowned European champions Netherlands scoreless in Nijmegen almost five years ago. That’s without foundation, for having attended both games, the contrast was striking. Like Colin Bell did that Dutch mission, Ireland adopted a five-at-the-back approach but it was the only similarity.

The Girls in Green hardly got out of their half on that occasion; the sight of the most advanced player, Amber Barrett, scampering 40 yards from the halfway line to chase down a clearance illustrative of the patterns of play. Goal-line blocks were executed, posts were rattled and generally Ireland were on the back foot throughout.

Bear in mind too that Megan Connolly was unavailable due to college commitments in Florida, Heather Payne was a 17-year-old home-based rookie on the bench and Lucy Quinn was only beginning to process her eligibility. Throw in the injury-enforced absence back then of another warrior in Sweden, Ruesha Littlejohn, and the upgrade in performance is explainable.

Moreover, it’s arguably the emergence into the peak stage of Ireland’s brightest pearls' careers that is contributory.

Sweden boss Peter Gerhardsson didn’t identify the four “very good” players he cited for his opponents’ rising in his post-match comments but the consensus is that captain Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan account for half. Add in, most likely, Louise Quinn, and only one of the quartet wasn’t on duty for that 2017 number Ireland did on Vivianne Miedema and Co.

Growth was apparent throughout the team at the Galma Ullevi Stadium.

Possession was always going to be at premium levels against the highest seeded side in Europe but Ireland were comfortable enough on the ball to believe they belonged on the stage.

O’Sullivan was as neat as an IKEA flatpack in midfield, linking play, turning into space and coaxing the sort of illegal tackle that led to McCabe’s opener. An arena festooned in yellow, speckled by the odd green pocket, had to wait 79 minutes for the party to start when Kosovar Asllani siphoned an equaliser that their pressure deserved.

It was only then that the pre-meditated Mexican waves began, still convinced Ireland would become the latest victim of their march to world domination.

This was the team that humbled the reigning global champions USA 3-0 at last summer’s Olympics reaching full pelt, their ill duo Fridolina Rolfö and Filippa Angeldahl sprung from the bench for the last half hour.

Interceptions were made, aerial duels won and, finally, deep into stoppage time, a crucial block was made from Angeldahl’s goalbound free-kick. There would be no repeating of Ronaldo’s infliction in Faro from seven months ago, no late heartbreak for Ireland.

Everyone was a winner in ABBA’s country last Tuesday and that’s what makes this Ireland team different. Sacramental or not, the gateway to immortality beckons.

In the frame: Blackpool's CJ Hamilton (left) has been impressing observers, among them STephen Kenny. Photo: Tim Markland/PA Wire.

Stage looks to be set for Hamilton to make his mark in Kenny's senior cast

CJ Hamilton’s name has been flagged as the newest English-born Irish recruit but his is different to the customary background of such cases.

A scorer in Blackpool’s 6-1 thumping of Birmingham City on Easter Monday, Hamilton is a regular for the Championship club and a contender to receive a debut call-up for Ireland's June quartet of Nations League fixtures.

Hamilton was born in Harrow, London but raised in his mother Mandy’s birthplace of Waterford, where he excelled for Clonea’s hurling team and the football sides of Portlaw and Carrick United. His granddad Dixie O’Keefe still lives in Portlaw.

Known then as Christopher, the attacker’s talents won him representative honours for Waterford, scoring against Alan Browne’s Cork at U13 level before lining out at the prestigious Kennedy Cup. His side reached the quarter-final stage in Limerick, losing to Dundalk.

From the south-east, he joined Sheffield United as an apprentice, undertaking loan spells in non-league before moving permanently to Mansfield Town.

Explosive pace and a penchant for assists drew eyes of bigger fish and he’s nearing the end of his second season at Blackpool.

“We had no idea about CJ until someone mentioned to us that he was available,” Stephen Kenny said about a player who has yet to sample the international scene “He’s on the radar now, we’ve done his paperwork and it’s nearly completed. We’ve spoken to CJ, he’s super keen and wants to do it.”

50 years on from the most epic battles of Munster

The sight of the sprightly Paul Morrissey at Waterford against Cork City on Monday was the catalyst for a conversation surrounding the 50th anniversary of a famous football duel between the Munster cities.

A week apart in 1972, Waterford United and Cork Hibernians contested two enthralling epics – one a league decider and the other the FAI Cup final – still prominent in the national annals.

Morrissey was a defensive mainstay of a Blues side that had relinquished the title they’d won in four of the previous five seasons to Dave Bacuzzi’s Hibs.

A final day showdown between the rivals on April 16 drew 25,000 to Flower Lodge. Only victory would suffice for the Blues to usurp the champions and all looked lost when they trailed 2-0 with 11 minutes left. Carl Humphries breathed life into the Blues before Jackie Morley’s equaliser had them hyperventilating. Alfie Hale applied the coup de grâce to complete a 3-2 comeback victory.

Hibs were only made wait a week to exact revenge. Before another packed crowd, this time at Dalymount Park, Cork swept to Cup glory in what’s remembered as the Miah Dennehy final. His trio of unanswered goals in the last 25 minutes bestowed the honour of the first-ever hat-trick hero of a final, a record held until 1990 when Bray Wanderers’ John Ryan’s replica brushed aside non-leaguers St Francis at Lansdowne Road.

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