Tom Tierney: Ireland up for ‘toughest’ World Cup pool

Ireland are drawn in what coach Tom Tierney says “is arguably the toughest qualifying pool of all” for next year’s Women’s World Cup in Dublin and Belfast in August.

At an impressive ceremony in Belfast’s City Hall yesterday, the hosts found themselves in a Pool C which includes France, Australia, and one other of Hong Kong, Japan or Fiji.

Holders, England, will be grateful for a straightforward route to the knockout stages with Italy and the USA – the surprise packets of 2014 – and either Scotland or Spain completing Pool B.