Ireland suffer first loss of the Eileen Gleeson reign at the hands of Wales
WELSH WOE: Republic of Ireland head coach Eileen Gleeson has lost her first game in charge. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
A first defeat in nine for Ireland and a first win for Wales over the same stretch wasn’t the way the Girls in Green wanted to prepare for next Tuesday’s Euro draw.
This was a fully deserved victory by the visitors, secured by two goals inside 22 minutes before a record crowd at Tallaght.
Eight places separated the teams in FIFA’s rankings beforehand but it was Wales who looked the superior force despite Ireland being the ones sharing exalted company in the draw.
Ominously, better opposition awaits in the qualifiers.
To borrow the line from FAI chairman Tony Keohane at the Oireachtas hearing last week, Ireland will hope this is a mere slip-up.
With their next game a qualifier against one of Europe’s top 15 nations in early April, Eileen Gleeson was of a mind to maintain consistency of selection.
Doubtless injury victim Denise O’Sullivan will reestablish her starting spots for the competitive fare but the manager wasn’t tinkering too much with the side that held higher ranked Italy scoreless on Friday in Florence.
Well, that was her intention anyway before the best laid plans came unstuck.
Two changes by design saw Leanne Kiernan and Amber Barrett come into the team. They combined off the bench against the Azzurri for Barrett to slot home a goal that seemed a harsh call to adjudge as offside.
Considering Barrett – the scorer of the goal that sealed World Cup qualification in 2022 – was bombed entirely from the squad by Gleeson as the Nations League campaign racked up wins, it was quite a turnaround for the Donegal native, now operating for Standard Liege, to be in the first XI.
Her switch for Kyra Carusa and Kiernan swapping places with Izzy Atkinson freshened the attack but they only lasted until the end of an underwhelming first half.
There was also a late, unscheduled alteration in defence.
Niamh Fahey, whose first action since the World Cup arrived in Italy, was removed from the original line-up to be replaced by another veteran, Diane Caldwell, by the time the teams emerged.
Eventually an explanation landed, revolving around a precaution. Fahey has endured a litany of injuries since returning from Australia and a quad muscle complaint triggered this withdrawal.
The FAI’s marketing department, despite being on the verge of losing two key staff, had been feverishly at work predicting a record crowd for Tallaght, hardly a boast given over 30,000 attended Lansdowne Road last September when they eventually embraced equality but there were vast empty spaces at kick-off.
Gradually, the recently-opened north stand that expanded the capacity to 10,000 began to cover the green seats with bodies – allegedly surpassing the record by 600 - but all the action was at the opposite end as Wales dominated from the off.
Whereas Friday’s reversion to a flat back-four for the first time in seven matches under Gleeson was undoubted success, it didn’t take much time for the visitors to expose large gaps in the rearguard.
It took until half-time and falling two goals behind for the tried and trusted formation to be restored.
Up until then, they were routinely caught square by a Welsh side whose six-match losing streak was curbed in December with a stalemate against Germany.
Warning lights were early and flashing. But for miscontrolling a pass after just three minutes, Elise Hughes would’ve had a clear sight on goal but they weren’t long in being visible.
Rachel Rowe spotted one two minutes later when Caitlin Hayes failed to clear a Rhiannon Roberts cross but she blasted a shot across goal and wide.
Record caps holder Jess Fishlock, at 37, together with fellow elder Rowe had Ireland flustered and they soon hit the front after Hayes cleared for a corner.
Lily Woodham’s cross enabled Gemma Evans to flick on to the back post and although Courtney Brosnan denied Sophie Ingle, Hayley Ladd squared the loose ball for Fishlock to scoop home her 40th international goal.
Maybe the presence of new permanent boss Rhian Wilkinson in the stand enlivened the Dragons, for they taught Ireland a lesson with their verve and vibrancy in the first half.
Hughes was lurking for a tap-in until Hayes executed a decisive touch but the Crystal Palace striker went closer by dashing to the front post from Rowe’s corner for a free header she was unable to aim on target.
Kieran’s cross that almost lofted into Olivia Ward’s top corner broke the siege and they got closer on 16 minutes when Hayes rose high from Megan Connolly’s corner.
Her header had the misfortune rebounded off her teammate Ruesha Littlejohn before Barrett’s shot on the rebound forced the one save Ward was required to produce over the 95 minutes.
That respite was momentary as their Celtic cousins bagged a second approaching the midway point of the half.
Sweeping forward in numbers, Roberts charged down the right before slinging over a cross directed for Hughes.
She didn’t have to connect with her outstretched leg but the slight flick ran straight into the path of Lily Woodham who rifled her rising, first-time left-footer into the near top corner.
Woodham was one of three representatives of American side Seattle Reign in their ranks, herself and Angharad James recently joining Fishlock. That they had two Manchester United mainstays, Ladd and Gemma Evans, underlined their strength.
It was, however, Sophie Ingle from three-in-a-row champions Chelsea who ran the show as the midfield powerhouse.
Under pressure from the press Ingle was at the hub of, Heather Payne ceded possession in a dangerous area five minutes before the break and was relieved to see Hughes scuff her close-range shot from point-blank range.
Kiernan’s air-shot on the stroke of half-time following industrious work by Jess Ziu marked her last action as Gleeson administered a treble change at the break to inject life into her lacklustre side.
First-choice striker Carusa was on the end of the few scraps Wales coughed up but she couldn’t get enough purchase when meeting Connolly’s corner and was smothered by the covering Josephine as she raided in behind with 16 minutes left. That was it as proceedings petered out and the allure of potentially England or Spain coming to Lansdowne Road soon provided a sinew of consolation.
C Brosnan; H Payne, D Caldwell (L Quinn 46), C Hayes, K McCabe (I Atkinson 73); M Connolly, J Stapleton (L Agg 88); J Ziu, R Littlejohn, L Kiernan (E Murphy 46); A Barrett (K Carusa 46).
O Clark; J Green, H Ladd, G Evans; R Roberts (C Holland 63), A James (E Powell 62), S Ingle, L Woodham (C Estcourt 63), J Fishlock (L Joel 82), R Rowe (C Jones 72); E Hughes (K Barton 82).
Frieda Mia Klarlund (DEN).
8,218.
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