Ireland defender McCarthy dealt a major blow with ruptured ACL

Hopes that injury was minor unfortunately prove unfounded as Listowel native faces length spell out

Fri, 25 Mar, 2022 - 21:16

John Fallon

Savannah McCarthy will miss Ireland’s World Cup qualifier in Sweden on April 12 after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament.

The defender was stretchered off during Galway WFC's 1-1 draw against DLR Waves in the WNL at Eamonn Deacy Park last weekend.

Hopes about her recovery were raised when she was released from hospital that evening but further scans identified the true extent of the injury. While recovery time for such a serious knee injury can vary, it can often take upwards of nine months to make a full return.

She confirmed the setback in a Twitter post, which read: “There’s high and lows in football and this definitely one of the lows. Absolutely devastated to say I did my ACL but the road to recovery starts now. Big thanks to everybody for the messages.”

The Listowel native had been the home-based success story of the Ireland team, breaking back into the side for the famous friendly win over Australia last September.

She kept her place in the side for the opening Euro qualifiers against Sweden, Finland and Slovakia and would have been in line to feature in Gothenburg against the pool’s runaway leaders.

McCarthy won silverware in Scotland with Glasgow City before returning to play in the women’s national league. She has been part of the Galway WFC squad since 2020, resisting offers from trailblazing rivals to remain in the west and near to her native Kerry.

There will be no shortage of replacements willing to step into the Ireland side on the left side of a central-defensive trio.

Diane Caldwell will be favourite, having excelled since joining Manchester United at the end of the January transfer window. Glasgow duo Claire Walsh and Niamh Farrelly, as well as Germany-based Claire O’Riordan, are other options.

Ireland, second in their group, face a crucial September after they’ve finished with top seeds Sweden and minnows Georgia. Concluding fixtures against Finland at home and Slovakia away over a five-day period will define their campaign.