Amber Barrett the hero as Ireland make history after qualifying for World Cup 2023

CONNECTION:  Amber Barrett of Republic of Ireland celebrates after scoring her side's first goal by showing the black armband worn to remember the lives lost and those injured in the Creeslough tragedy in Donegal during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Play-off match between Scotland and Republic of Ireland at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Women’s 2023 World Cup playoff final 

SCOTLAND…0 IRELAND…1 (Amber Barrett 71) 

How apt for George Hamilton to be on commentary when a nation held its breath 19 minutes from the end of this World Cup playoff.

Amber Barrett, only four minutes on the pitch, rampaged past Sophie Howard to bear in on goal before deciding to take another touch.

Switching the ball from her left foot to right, the striker’s poise was validated by a superb languid finish across Lee Alexander into the far corner.

Into a moment of joy came one of sorrow – the Donegalwoman sinking to her knees, pointing to the blank armband donned to commemorate victims of last weekend’s Creeslough tragedy in home county.

Ireland are going to the World Cup, not via the intercontinental playoffs, but directly to New Zealand and Australia in July 2023. Just six years on from striking for conditions, this team are the trailblazers to inspire generations to come.

The major selection call beforehand was the inclusion of Áine O’Gorman for her first competitive start since last November, the Women’s National League’s leading scorer with 17 goals forming a partnership with captain Katie McCabe behind lone striker Heather Payne. She was winning her 113th cap.

As expected, the other changes from the last month’s 1-0 win in Slovakia were Niamh Fahey coming back into central-defence for Claire O’Riordan, with Jamie Finn replacing Harriet Scott.

Scotland’s one change from Thursday’s extra-time win over Austria was FC Rosengård’s winger Fiona Brown stepping in for Lana Clelland Attempting to create an atmosphere at Hampden similar to the meeting of the men’s teams 17 days earlier was difficult when the attendance was 80% less but the traditional glitzy lights show, combined with the local bangers such as the Proclaimers’ Walk 500 Miles abounding from the speakers, had the crowd in full voice at kick-off.

Ireland did their best to quieten them, their start full of vigour and vim a promising indicator on the biggest occasion in the history of women’s football.

They needed to wait just 30 seconds for one of the most potent threats, Megan Campbell’s throw-ins, to be unleashed. The pace and power on the delivery has over the years caused mayhem against the likes of Germany and Finland.

Scotland were similarly rattled, allowing the ball break to Lily Agg, who saw her close-range shot blocked, as did McCabe on the rebound.

Midfield shaped up to the key battleground and the battle of former Glasgow City teammates Denise O’Sullivan and Erin Cuthbert was an intriguing subplot. A crunching interception by the Corkwoman two minutes in left Cuthbert on the turf and Ireland on the break, yet Payne’s decision to shoot early was futile, for Lee Alexander dealt comfortably with the 30-yard floater.

Cuthbert was lucky to avoid a booking after scything down McCabe on 10 minutes but it signalled a shift from the early pattern.

West Ham’s Lisa Evans began to bomb on from the right-back, necessitating an opportune intervention by Louise Quinn inside the box and a moment of class by Caroline Weir initiated an penalty on 12 minutes.

Real Madrid’s playmaker cut a subdued presence till the point her pass unhinged the Ireland defence for Fiona Brown to dart into the box and drill in a low cross.

Martha Thomas was first to react, the Manchester United forward’s shot crashing off the crossbar but Swiss referee Staubli noticed the deflection came via Niamh Fahey’s arm.

A booking for the culprit and a penalty for the hosts but a moment to savour for Courtney Brosnan. who anticipated Weir’s spot-kick angling to her left.

Her save was the latest step of resurgence for the American-born stopper after starting the campaign burdened by questions about her worthiness for the job.

That miss appeared to stifle the Scots for, aside from a tenuous claim for another penalty on 18 minutes when Thomas clattered into Brosnan, they spent the remainder of the half in defensive mode.

Their ploy of getting Claire Emslie to stand in front of Campbell for throw-ins was as useful as a cost estimate for the Children’s Hospital. With each of her scuds, the Scots looked shakier and there is the bizarre sight of the ball gliding directly into the net on 28 minutes. Both Sophie Howard and her goalkeeper Lee Alexander, exposed in the mix-up, were spared embarrassment by the rule prohibiting goals direct from throws.

It was down Campbell’s left side that the potential existed to hurt the hosts.

McCabe, drifting further wide, curled in a delicious cross on 36 minutes that the slightest of touches was needed to profit from. Perhaps O’Gorman couldn’t believe she was left unmarked as he somehow scooped her header over the crossbar from six yards.

O’Gorman, growing into the game, then flashed a left-footer on the turn past the near post but Ireland went closer in first-half stoppage-time, from another Campbell throw, leading to Howard twice clearing off the line.

VAR, in use for the time ever in an Ireland match, was called upon to check the second scramble from Diane Caldwell’s flick.

Scotland threatened to take a stranglehold after the interval when Weir began to dominate, bursting from deep and shoveling a shot that Brosnan dealt with, but still Ireland carried the vital concoction of calmness and control in their play.

None more so than Barrett, a peripheral figure over the campaign but one who soared in the most emotional of weeks.

Replacing Payne in attack, she was on the end of a move instigated by Howard’s errand pass out of defence. Niamh Fahey’s cushioned header to O’Sullivan was the catalyst for the pass that freed Barrett to etch her name into history.

SCOTLAND: L Alexander; L Evans (E Mukandi 66), S Howard, R Corsie, N Docherty (J Beattie 82); S Kerr (L Graham 75), E Cuthbert, C Weir; F Brown (C Grimshaw 46), A Harrison, M Thomas (A Harrison 75).

IRELAND: C Brosnan; N Fahey, Louise Quinn, D Caldwell; J Finn, L Agg, D O’Sullivan, M Campbell; Á O’Gorman, K McCabe; H Payne (A Barrett 67).

REFEREE: Ester Staubli (SUI).

ATTENDANCE: 10,850.