Sue Ronan’s Ireland turn on the style in Montenegro
Ireland’s women were at their clinical best yesterday in Montenegro to seal a joint-record win which sets them up for Tuesday’s pivotal Euro qualifier in Spain.
Sue Ronan’s side made light work of the group’s bottom seeds by racing into a three-goal interval lead.
The preparatory work employed by the staff during a training camp in Austria earlier this week was put to optimal use within just two minutes as Louise Quinn nodded in at the back post.
The centre-back was on cue to head home after Julie-Ann Russell played a short-corner with Ruesha Littlejohn before curling in an inviting cross.
Against the run of play, Montenegro almost equalised through Armisa Kuc but captain and veteran Emma Byrne produced a magnificent save to keep Ireland ahead.
Russell was involved again for the second goal on 24 minutes. Her pinpoint delivery found the onrushing Katie McCabe inside the box and her touch allowed Áine O’Gorman to drill a first-time shot into the bottom corner.
It was game over for the hosts within a minute after Littlejohn converted a penalty which was earned when O’Gorman felt the full brunt of a late challenge in the box from captain Sladjana Bulatovic.
Even with recently-crowned Player of the Year Denise O’Sullivan on the bench, rested for the meeting with the top seeds in Madrid on Tuesday, Ireland were rampant in attack.
Fiona O’Sullivan, on as an interval substitute, could have added a fourth only had she reached Meabh De Burca’s cross but the fourth goal arrived through her namesake.
Just three minutes after coming on, Denise showed her class by cutting inside past a couple of defenders and rifling her shot into the opposite corner.
Another substitute, Stephanie Roche, made it five in the 85th minute as she applied a neat header on another teasing cross from Russell.
Victory gives Ireland six points from their opening four matches along a journey they hope can conclude at the finals next summer in the Netherlands.
Although Sue Ronan is aiming for another win against the Spanish, a point gained against such an established nation would constitute a nice bonus.
It is the games later in the year against Portugal at home and Finland away which will ultimately determine whether Ireland secure a second-placed finish and a probable play-off shot at reaching their first ever major tournament at senior level.
E Byrne (Arsenal); S Perry (Brighton), L Quinn (Eskilstuna Utd), N Fahey (Chelsea), M De Burca (Galway); D Caldwell (Koln), A O’Gorman (UCD Waves), K Duggan (UCD Waves); K McCabe (Arsenal), R Littlejohn (Glasgow City), JA Russell (UCD Waves).
S Roche (Sunderland) for McCabe (46), F O’Sullivan (San Francisco Dons) for O’Gorman (62), D O’Sullivan (Houston Dash) for Caldwell (72).
J Bajetic; Z Radanovic, A Vidic, T Djurkovic, S Bulatovic; M Vulic, T Bojat, J Djokovic, A Kuc, A Popovic; J Mrkic.
J Zlaticanin for Aleksandra Popovic (46), T Bojat for Miljanic (70), H Bozic for Vidic (80).
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