Katoto the difference as Ireland undone from early set-piece
FASTEST TO REACT: Marie-Antoinette Katoto of France shoots to score her side's first goal. Pic: Stephen McCarthy, Sportsfile
Denise O’Sullivan’s pre-match warning about the perils of switching off wasn’t heeded as Ireland lost their opening Euro 2025 qualifier off an early set-piece.
France possess an abundance of stars but they were gifted their solitary goal after six minutes from a Kenza Dali free was was bundled over the line of her Everton teammate Courtney Brosnan for Marie Antoinette Katoto’s 28th goal in 36 matches.
Given Ireland also conceded the opener last time out against Wales from a corner, getting the basics right is a must for the visit of England to Lansdowne Road on Tuesday.
As expected, containment framed Eileen Gleeson’s selection and tactics, with her formation reverting to 5-4-1 designed to congest the central areas.
Captain Katie McCabe was freed from her left-wing back berth but spent the vast majority of proceedings in her own half anyway to aid the rearguard action.
The choice of Aoife Mannion for that defensive berth seemed a tad risky given her unfamiliarity with the role. Identical to the men’s team, the female version are also spoilt for choice with centre-backs and there’s a temptation to prioritise quality rather than stick with positions.
There was a more natural look to Ireland’s spine at the start of the season half when Mannion switched to the right side of the back four. Megan Campbell was introduced into her orthodox left-sided role but it was at the expense of competitive debutant Emily Murphy.
Stationed on the right side of midfield, Murphy was simply unable to track back, exposing Heather Payne to an overload of French finesse. It would contribute to the opener being conceded after 321 seconds.
Payne is renowned for her endurance both at club level with Everton and for Ireland.
Within two minutes of the outset, she switched from being on the edge of the French box anticipating a pass from Megan Connolly to dashing back into her own to execute a clearance for the first of several French corners.
Sensing danger in behind, she tugged the shirt of Sandie Toletti as the Real Madrid midfielder raided from deep.
The professional foul was enough to warrant a booking and although she was spared the punishment would be meted out from the set-piece.
Dali lofted in her free from the left side that Ireland, especially Murphy, failed to deal with. That enabled Maëlle Lakrar ghost in from the back to cushion her volley across goal for Marie-Antoinette Katoto to finish from close-range.
Evidently hatched by Hervé Renard from the Clairefontaine training ground, even he must have been surprised at how easily his visitors were dissected.
That might have prompted the deluge of goals that the Metz crowd demanded against the group’s lowest seeds but some control and composure at crucial stages eluded them.
Credit to for a new-look central defensive unit featuring Anna Patten. The Aston Villa defender went straight into the team following her switch from England.
All the talk beforehand from the Ireland camp centred on capitalising on moments but they produced very few. One surge by Payne on 13 minutes shuttled her just inside the box before Griedge Mbock-Bathy nicked the ball off her two.
McCabe too reached the endline in that period only to see her cross cleared to O’Sullivan 20 yards out. The returning playmaker had a view of the goal but the ball inopportunely spun from her foot.
That characterised Ireland’s frustration but they also succeeded in frustrating their exalted hosts. Stemming incessant attacks threatened to tire Irish minds as well as bodies and the home crowd howled with suspicion the sight of Brosnan lying down calling for treatment.
Rather bizarrely, she was eventually booked for timewasting as Ireland were supposed to be chasing an equaliser and unlikely point.
Whether her move was a ploy or not, the respite midway through the half afforded Gleeson and her staff a window to huddle her troops together.
Murphy was clearly the one in receipt of specific instructions but matters didn’t improve on the side of the pitch and she was duly hooked at the break.
Dali miscued her volley wildly wide before Mbock-Bathy stuck out a leg to poke wide from a corner.
Just past the half hour, Brosnan was alert to turn over Sandie Toletti’s 25-yarder.
It was one-way traffic but once the slimmest margin endured Ireland always had a chance.
That came in the form of Campbell’s throw-ins during the second half. On a mere single occasion, Pauline Peyraud-Magnin had to be alive to her ferocious deliveries but sadly for Ireland that glanced off a French player straight into her hands.
P Peyraud-Magnin; È Périsset (W Renard 77), G Mbock Bathy, M Lakrar, S Karchaoui; S Toletti (A Henry 77), K Dali, G Geyoro; K Diani (S Baltimore 85), A Katoto (E Le Sommer 62), D Cascarino (V Becho 62).
C Brosnan; H Payne (L Kiernan 63), A Patten, Louise Quinn, C Hayes, A Mannion (J Stapleton 90); E Murphy (M Campbell 46), M Connolly, D O’Sullivan K McCabe; K Carusa (A Barrett 63, inj – Lucy Quinn 73).
Maria Caputi (ITA)
16,772
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
