A time of revival: 12 months under Vera Pauw

PROGRESSION: Manager Vera Pauw during a Republic of Ireland Women training session at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

This has been a year of progress like no other for the Irish team, coming on the back of their worst-ever year.

Seven straight defeats stretching from September 2020 to June 2021 was far from ideal preparation for the World Cup campaign but stemming the tide by shocking Australia in a friendly transpired into a wave of euphoria sweeping through the Ireland team.

Beating the Aussies 3-2 last September didn’t gain any points but provided the foundation for the tilt at reaching a first-ever major tournament.

Despite losing their next game, the 1-0 World Cup qualification opening defeat against Sweden, it was an own-goal rather than a landslide that made the difference. Just once over their next nine games did Ireland fail to score.

Five days later, they were up and running, landing a blow to the noses of Finland in Helsinki and laying down a marker for that coveted playoff spot.

Here’s their list of results over their 12-month revival:

Friendly: 

21 Sept ’21: Ireland 3 Australia 2.

World Cup qualifiers:

21 Oct ’21: Ireland 0 Sweden 1.

26 Oct ’21: Finland 1 Ireland 2.

25 Nov ’21: Ireland 1 Slovakia 1.

30 Nov ’21: Ireland 11 Georgia 0.

Pinatar Cup friendlies (Spain):

16 Feb ’22: Ireland 2 Poland 1.

19 Feb ‘22: Ireland 0 Russia 0.

22 Feb ’22: Ireland 1 Wales 0.

World Cup qualifier:

12 April ’22: Sweden 1 Ireland 1.

Friendly (Turkey):

19 June ‘22: Ireland 1 Philippines 0.

World Cup qualifier:

27 June ’22: Georgia 0 Ireland 9.