Ireland's superiority shows as they rise to the occasion
THREE AND EASY: Lily Agg of Republic of Ireland, right, celebrates after scoring her side's third goal during the Uefa Women's Nations League B1 match against Northern Ireland at Aviva Stadium. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
After being unable to defy expectations at the World Cup, Ireland are meeting them in the Nations League.
Their consolation for missing out on sharing League A with the 15 top European nations was facing inferior opposition.
Disparity in the Fifa rankings between Ireland and their northern neighbours, Hungary, and Albania justify the anticipation of completing this series with six straight victories.
Saturday’s opponents included five home-based starters, whereas their hosts didn’t use any national league representative among their 16 participants, illustrating the gulf in levels of conditioning.
It was first evident six years ago when 2-0 and 4-0 wins were registered in World Cup qualification and the North’s feat since of reaching the Euros hasn’t closed the gap.
Once Ireland forged ahead through Lucy Quinn’s volley on the half hour, the outcome was never in doubt.
Kyra Carusa’s third international goal with 20 minutes left and a third with Lily Agg’s first touch after coming on completed the expected job.
Two set-piece goals and a gift from a blunder accounted for the comfortable triumph.
“There was a lot of noise in the build-up and we spoke about that,” said Eileen Gleeson, the caretaker boss who will also lead the team Tuesday in Budapest - at a minimum.
“We had to focus on this match and occasion of a first-ever women’s international at the Aviva Stadium.
“Football is a changing environment and you can only move forward.
“Things happen. We just narrowed it in, galvanised inside and stayed positive.”
Much of the focus centred on what this Ireland team looks like after Vera Pauw and in reality it resembled the one she took over in 2019.
Restored to the side team was Diane Caldwell, the 35-year-old whose critique of the Pauw reign on Monday captured global headlines.
Gleeson also buried another ghost of the past by extracting Tyler Toland from four years of cold storage.
From blitzing 13 caps in the space of 26 months, starting as a 16-year-old, the midfielder had been excluded since 2019 when she fell out with Pauw. She deservedly claimed the Player of the Match award, controlling the tempo from midfield, spiking it as the limited opposition tired.
Bar a free-kick after just two minutes that Rachel Furness flicked into a box devoid of teammates, Northern Ireland failed to veer within the vicinity of Courtney Brosnan’s goal.
No efforts on target were recorded over the 94 minutes, only a tame penalty claim for handball after they were swept aside.
Even their first corner of the game that didn’t arrive for 51 minutes was wasted by being overhit.
When Denise O’Sullivan, functioning in her preferred No 10 role, won Ireland’s first corner on 25 minutes, Caitlin Hayes rose highest to nod goalward with the ball skimming off Carusa’s back.
It seemed to catch Shannon Turner by surprise as the goalkeeper scrambled the ball away.
Hayes then forced Turner to palm her header around the post and from Katie McCabe’s delivery, a stray header by Furness feel to Lucy Quinn.
She still had work to do while unmarked but struck her low volley sweetly and it flew through a thicket of players beyond the goalkeeper.
Quinn saw another lofted attempt drop onto the roof of the net as the break approached but it would be the second half before Ireland properly exposed the chasm in class.
Carusa, persistent as ever, had her poked shot hacked off the line early in the second half and McCabe’s roaming was unlocking a rigid Northern rearguard.
The introduction of Abbie Larkin injected some energy into the attack and she speared a half-volley past the post on 66 minutes.
Eventually the second came and it was another lapse that told.
McCabe’s through ball should have been dealt with by Rebecca Holoway but she botched the clearance with Turner advancing, allowing Carusa to roll the loose ball into an empty net.
Tired bodies were gifting space but it took another corner for the third to be nestled.
McCabe’s left-footer was again too lethal to handle and Agg’s downward header struck the post and went over the line before Turner caught the ball.
It was all straightforward and easy, much as it should be for top seeds. Another win is in the offing when they visit Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday, all necessary for the more serious business of Euro qualification next year.
Brosnan; Hayes, Caldwell (Atkinson 89), Louise Quinn, Lucy Quinn (Barrett 52); Connolly (Agg 82), Toland; Payne (Larkin 59), O’Sullivan, McCabe; Carusa (Whelan 89).
Turner; Magee, McFadden, Holloway (Rafferty 82), Vance; Callaghan (Caldwell 71), Furness (McCarron 82), Hamilton; Andrews, Magill, Wilson (Wade 71).
Hristiyana Guteva (Bulgaria).
35,994.
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