Bohs teenager Brennan earns first Ireland call

Carla Ward has named a 24-player squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers double-header against Poland.

Aoibhe Brennan during a Bohemians FC squad portraits session at the DCU Sports Complex in Dublin. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Bohemians teenager Aoibhe Brennan is the new name in Carla Ward's 24-player squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers double-header against Poland.

Ireland will first travel to Gdansk to face Poland at the Gdansk Stadium on Tuesday, April 14 (KO 5pm Irish time / 6pm local time). The two nations will then meet again in the return fixture at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, April 18 (KO 3pm).

The squad announcement sees Bohemians' teenager Brennan receive her first senior call-up. The midfielder has enjoyed an impressive start to the season, with Ward in attendance for her standout performance in the recent 3-0 victory over Cork City at Dalymount Park.

There are also returns for two key players who have recovered from long-term injuries. Lily Agg is included in the squad for the first time since 2024 after successfully recovering from a serious knee injury, while West Ham United's Jess Ziu is recalled for the first time since the play-offs against Georgia in October 2025.

Ward has kept faith with the majority of the squad from the narrow defeats to France and the Netherlands in the last window.  

The two matches against Poland are seen as key to the campaign, with securing a minimum of third spot in the group being a primary objective. A third-place finish would guarantee a more favourable route in the play-offs as the team continues its quest to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2027.

Republic of Ireland WNT Squad

Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton FC), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic), Grace Moloney (Sunderland).

Defenders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal FC), Anna Patten (Aston Villa FC), Caitlin Hayes (Brighton & Hove Albion), Aoife Mannion (Newcastle United), Jessie Stapleton (Nottingham Forest - loan), Chloe Mustaki (Nottingham Forest).

Midfielders: Denise O'Sullivan (Liverpool), Tyler Toland (Durham), Megan Connolly (Lazio), Marissa Sheva (Sunderland), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Ruesha Littlejohn (Crystal Palace), Jess Ziu (West Ham United), Lily Agg (Durham), Aoibhe Brennan (Bohemians).

Forwards: Saoirse Noonan (Celtic FC), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Leanne Kiernan (Nottingham Forest - loan), Emily Murphy (Newcastle United), Kyra Carusa (Kansas City Current - loan), Amber Barrett (Strasbourg).