Ireland charter plane and tighten bubble for biggest game 

Ireland manager Vera Pauw explains extra Covid precautions for crucial Ukraine clash

Head coach Vera Pauw poses for a portrait following a Republic of Ireland press conference at her team's training base in Duisburg, Germany. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Vera Pauw has confirmed that the FAI's decision to charter a flight for the women's senior side for the very first time was made before the Slovakia saga which resulted in Aaron Connolly and Adam Idah being unable to play in their Euro 2020 playoff.

Connolly and Idah were ruled out of that tie in Bratislava after switching seats on the flight from Dublin and being deemed close contacts of an FAI official whose subsequent positive test for Covid-19 was later recategorised as a false positive.