Emily Murphy promoted to Ireland women’s squad for Italy and Wales friendlies

BACK IN THE FOLD: Emily Murphy during a Republic of Ireland Women's training session at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium. Pic: David Stockman,Sportsfile

US-based Emily Murphy has received her first official call-up to the Ireland women’s squad as they begin a crucial year with friendlies away to Italy next Friday and at home to Wales on Tuesday week.

Eileen Gleeson’s feat of guiding Ireland to top spot in last year’s Nations League group not only earned promotion to the top tier for this year’s Euro 2025 qualifiers but landed her the job on a permanent basis.

The draw for the qualifiers takes place on March 5.

Murphy was previously invited to train with the squad in April 2021 ahead of the home friendly against Denmark; then travelled with the squad for the away game in Belgium.

Hailing from Windsor, England, she qualifies through her father Jonathan, who is from Rathfarnham in Dublin.

Murphy started out in the Arsenal academy before switching to Chelsea's academy and went on to play for Chelsea, Birmingham City (loan), North Carolina Tar Heels and, now, Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Niamh Fahey, Aoife Mannion, Jess Ziu and Leanne Kiernan all return, while injury-hit Chloe Mustaki is sidelined.

The Italy fixture will be the first international game to be played in Viola Park since the state-of-the-art training complex – which is the home base for ACF Fiorentina – opened in October 2023.

IRELAND WNT SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (London City Lionesses), Sophie Whitehouse (Lewes). 

Defenders: Jessie Stapleton (Reading – on loan from West Ham United), Diane Caldwell (FC Zurich), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Caitlin Hayes (Celtic), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Megan Campbell (London City Lionesses).

Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Lily Agg (Birmingham City), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Megan Connolly (Bristol City), Ruesha Littlejohn (London City Lionesses), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Heather Payne (Everton), Jess Ziu (West Ham United), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Izzy Atkinson (Crystal Palace) Forwards: Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Amber Barrett (Standard Liege), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Emily Murphy (Wake Forest University) 

FIXTURES:

• Friday, February 23 | Italy v Ireland, Viola Park, Florence, KO 18:15 (17:15 Irish Time), LIVE on RTÉ NewsNow 
• Tuesday, February 27 | Ireland v Cymru, Tallaght Stadium, KO 19:30, LIVE on RTÉ2