Louise Quinn facing fitness test as Vera Pauw still concerned about Ireland defender

The experienced centre-half picked up a foot injury in the defeat to Australia.

Tue, 25 Jul, 2023 - 09:22

John Fallon

Vera Pauw admits Louise Quinn is still an injury concern though the FAI say the key defender is available for selection.

The centre-half wore a protective boot on Sunday’s flight to Perth and had an icepack strapped to her left foot after Thursday’s opening 1-0 defeat to co-hosts Australia.

'She has been training with a foot injury picked up in the loss to Australia but will be available for selection', read an FAI preview released 16 minutes before the manager faced the press in her pre-match press conference.

Pauw admitted her concern for Quinn’s wellbeing, agreeing how she copes with her first full training session of the week later today will decide the outcome.

She also confirmed contingency planning is in place should the centurion be ruled out with Monday’s final game against Nigeria in mind.

Diane Caldwell or Claire O’Riordan would be the pair of favourites to fill the big boots of a player whose aerial ability in both boxes was a feature of Thursday’s display in front of 75,000 spectators.

Pauw earlier this week dismissed the prospect of reverting to a flat back-four, stemming from concerns over the pace of her ageing defence.

Quinn (33) was seen only taking a partial part in Monday’s session, jogging in runners with the physio Angela Kenneally. There was no ball work involved.

"The injury is not straightforward," the Ireland boss said. "It’s really reliant on how she reacts to this final training session.

“We are all waiting. I'm not hiding anything - I'm always open.” Kyra Carusa – put up before the media instead of the usual presence of captain Katie McCabe – also spoke of Quinn’s threat in the opposition’s penalty area.

“It’s something that as a team we’ve discussed - what game plans look like at what points of games, where we are as a team and what we need to change in moments and stuff like that,” she said.

“Louise is an aerial threat and that is massive. I know myself as well that I’m an aerial threat too but of course when you have the head of Louise you’ve got to put her in the box, when you’re putting balls in the box, you need to be putting a head like that on the ball.”