Courtney Brosnan: Ireland don’t want to be a team that just qualifies for one major tournament
EURO AMBITION: Courtney Brosnan is hoping to help Ireland qualify for Euro 2025. Pic: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Ireland’s penalty save hero from their World Cup qualification is primed to repeat the heroics if required in their final lap towards reaching the Euros.
Courtney Brosnan’s save of Caroline Weir’s spot-kick at Hampden Park proved the turning point of the playoff against Scotland two years ago, the forerunner to Amber Barrett’s winner.
That finish booked Ireland a ticket to Australia last year and now they’re within 180 minutes of back-to-back tournaments.
That hinges on prevailing against Wales over two legs, beginning at Cardiff City’s Stadium on Friday night before returning to Lansdowne Road next Tuesday.
Brosnan’s male counterpart Caoimhin Kelleher has recent form for repelling penalty takers, following up his save against Finland with another for Liverpool at Southampton on Sunday.
The American-born custodian will have her homework done on the Welsh candidates for spot-kicks, including several if the tie prolongs to a shootout on Tuesday week.
“I don’t know my record on saving penalties but Scotland was a big occasion so that’s the one that gets remembered,” said the Everton stopper.
“I saved a few in the league last season, one against Bunny Shaw.
“Nowadays, it kind of takes a while for the penalty decision to be given or for whoever is getting the ball to get ready, so usually I take that chance to go over, get some water and get my thoughts together.
"Typically I’ve already watched some clips or been given some information about who is most likely to take the penalty, what their favourite side is and stuff.
"So I do that, have a think about it and then I have a little bit of a routine with touching the crossbar, walking along the line and getting myself ready for that moment. I see the kicker line up and kind of just go off a gut instinct and a bit of how they are lining, and the data you’ve been given.
“Looking back at Hampden, I was 100% in the moment. For me personally, you don’t realise until after the game is over, until after you’ve qualified that that just happened.
"You make a save in the game or you make a penalty save in the game, you’re like, ‘well that feels nice’, but you’re like, ‘okay we’re only 20 minutes into the game or whatever it is, we still have this amount of time to go’.
“So I feel like as footballers, especially as goalkeepers, you’re taught to focus on the task and what you’re doing in that moment so I think I see the game broken down into little moments and little task that I have to do. You’re not really thinking too far in advance.”
All fans of this Ireland team are thinking of is another milestone of a first Euros being achieved. Next July in Switzerland will feature the best 16 teams competing in Switzerland and Ireland are favourites to overcome their Celtic cousins.
“Everyone knew it was going to come down to a playoff so that is something we’ve been prepared for and experienced before in terms of qualifying for the World Cup,” explained Brosnan.
“You don’t want to be the team that just qualifies for one major tournament, I don’t think anyone wants that. You want to be doing that consistently. So there is always that thing where you are continuing to push forward and continuing to write history, write stories into your legacy.”
Eileen Gleeson assembled her squad at Castleknock Hotel on Sunday night, with doubts hanging over the fitness of Aoife Mannion and Heather Payne. The squad hold their first training session on Monday afternoon.
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