A perfect touch on a perfect night sends Pauw's heroes into a brave new world

Amber Barrett's goal was a touch of true class but her celebration too showed the depth of this Ireland team's connection to the country

JOY: Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw celebrates with her players after 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

Strange how the fates play with us. It’s 35 years since a Scottish victory sent the Republic of Ireland men’s team to the Promised Land that was a major tournament. Now it’s a Scottish defeat that has paved the way for Ireland’s women to take their bow on the game’s biggest stage for the very first time.

The temptation exists to say that it doesn’t matter how they did it, only that they did.