New recruit Mannion makes quick impression with Ireland
DEBUT: Aoife Mannion played her debut game for Ireland against China in an International friendly. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
In the fullness of time, this friendly will likely be best remembered for Aoife Mannion’s Ireland debut.
Perhaps the game’s circumstances – the first of a hectic year, aversion to risking an early defeat, experimentation and it being at a deserted neutral venue – contributed to the stalemate.
Both countries have their calendar circled in mid-July for the World Cup forays and what matters above all is their sharpness for tournament standard.
Even seasoned performers such as Katie McCabe seemed rusty at the Estadio Nuevo Mirador in Cadiz, wayward in her passing and attempts on goal.
Still, it was from one of her free-kicks just past the hour that Ireland had the ball in the net.
Mannion rose high to meet the cross, only for the ball to cross the line off the goalkeeper’s errand punch.
Somehow referee Jason Barcello decreed that Xu Huan had been impeded by Mannion, denying Ireland a goal that the newcomer would understandably have claimed.
It was the first scoreless draw of Pauw’s 40-month reign – the team’s first since the memorable one against her home country of the Netherlands in November 2017 – and against a team ranked nine places above them, it has to be considered a steady start.
Three debuts, including Manchester United defender Mannion, a seventh straight clean sheet and no injuries amount to a palatable outcome from the completion of the 10-day camp. Unfortunately, one member of the Asian Cup champions suffered an ACL rupture, thereby ruining their World Cup dream this summer.
Mannion enjoyed a better introduction than Deborah-Anne De La Harpe, the Australian-born wing-back hooked at half-time but the third and final debutant, Marissa Sheva displayed glimpses of her danger to defences when brought on for the second half.
Overall, what Ireland lacked was zip to their movement, especially in the final third, but Pauw insists they’ll stick with the slow build-up despite goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan’s reverting to launching scuds upfield intermittently.
“Courtney only kicked long when there were five Chinese players around her penalty box, so you need to stay realistic,” she explained, the tactics all moulded towards the World Cup games against co-hosts Australia, Olympic gold medalists Canada and Nigeria.
“Barcelona would probably play a long ball in that situation.
“If there is space, we build up, but the start of the build-up must be without risks and not asking for problems.” Brosnan did what was called for in a game of few chances. She was relieved to see Wang Shanshan steer her header wide early on but, with 14 minutes left, the Everton stopper was alive to block a snapshot on the turn by Lou Jiahui after the striker spun into the six-yard box.
Early in that second half too, she had to depend on Louise Quinn to scamper across to stop interval sub Zhang Lin Yan slotting into an empty net, as sloppy play by Megan Campbell left them exposed.
Quinn has come closest to scoring for Ireland as well, arriving for McCabe’s 19th minute corner with perfect timing and powering a header that rattled the crossbar.
Not even a deluge of Campbell’s throw-ins, the last of them agonisingly creeping past the far post, could extract Ireland a goal.
That deficit will be academic once they peak for the real tests later in the year. April’s trip to the deep south of America for a double-header against the world champions will condition them for what they can expect Down Under.
Mannion appears to have already secured her place among the 23-player squad, arguably nabbing a starting slot on account of her opening gambit since switching allegiance from England.
How she could do in the meantime, however, with breaking to a Manchester United side flying high at the top of the Women’s Super League.
“Playing 65 minutes today was the most I’ve had since February 2022,” revealed the defender, currently on the bench at WSL league leaders United.
“Vera is trying to implement a more passing style of play but clear to be solid defensively because that’s what got us through the qualification.
“What you’ve seen on my debut was a bit of who I am; being aggressive on the ball, positive and a nice 1 v 1 defender.
“We’ve got a really good squad at Manchester United. If, and when, I get called upon, hopefully sooner rather than later, I’ll be there.” Mannion was greeted with a hug by Pauw upon being withdrawn and the manager is likely to include her within the array of defensive options for the tournament.
Diane Caldwell, a peripheral figure at Reading, may be worried for her place as it’ll likely be Niamh Fahey that Mannion vies with for a place in the team when the Liverpool captain returns from injury for the April trip to USA.
The Land of Opportunity will prove just that for the new breed onboard since that watershed of qualification was passed.
X Huan; L Mengwen (H Hayain 72), W Xiaoxue, W Linlin; C Qiaozhu; Y Lingwei (Lin Yan 46), Z Rui, Z Xin, X Yuyi ((T Shadike 72),; W Shanshan (L Lina HT), L Jiahui
C Brosnan; A Mannion (D Caldwell 68), Louise Quinn, M Connolly ; DA De La Harpe (Á O’Gorman 46), L Agg (R Littlejohn 46), D O’Sullivan, M Campbell; A Larkin (M Sheva 46), K McCabe; H Payne (K Carusa 75).
Jason Barcello (GIB).
76.
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