Aoife Mannion unlikely to be fit for Euro playoff final

Aoife Mannion will more than likely miss Ireland's crucial clash with Wales. 

Aoife Mannion looks to have lost her battle to be fit for Ireland’s Euro playoff against Wales.

The Manchester United defender has missed recent club games with a muscle injury and didn’t train with the squad in Dublin before their departure to Cardiff on Wednesday. She had been included in Eileen Gleeson’s squad named last week.

Meanwhile, Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark insists they won’t be intimidated by Ireland when the Celtic Cousins battle it out for a European Championship spot.

Clark was a teammate of Ireland’s Cork-born midfielder Megan Connolly last year but has moved to Dutch club FC Twente, figuring in this season’s Champions League.

“We know we can't afford to have a spell against Ireland like we did in the first leg in Slovakia,” she told the BBC about their semi-final first leg defeat to Slovakia, overturned at home in extra-time.

“We have to manage the moments in the matches and we do feel it's probably going to be quite tight.

“For 10 days in this camp, we just have to be constantly on it.

“We all know what it would mean to qualify. It's in the back of our minds, but that is where we have to keep it really.

“We also know Ireland are a good side, but we don't feel intimidated by that. We just have to concentrate on playing the best we can.”