Cork crowd can push depleted Ireland to 'statement win' at Pairc Uí Chaoimh
BATTLE READY: Katie McCabe and Tyler Toland, right, go for the ball in training. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Netherlands manager Arjan Veurink learnt a thing or two about Roy Keane’s home city staging tonight’s match and the sold-out Munster hurling final on Sunday but didn’t need to be educated on his opponents.
“Ireland are really defensive and will try to harm us via their counter-attack and, of course, set-pieces,” said the boss of the group’s leaders.
“We are prepared for that, so it's up to us to create some chances and break their low block.
“We expect they’ll narrow the pitch to Fifa's maximum dimensions, like they did against France. It’s all part of the game. But the surface is good and this game is more about the quality on the pitch.”
If that comes across as patronising, Carla Ward will likely keep her powder dry until after their penultimate qualifier at Pairc Uí Chaoimh.
After the 2-1 defeat in Utrecht eight weeks ago, settled by Lineth Beerensteyn’s late goal, the Ireland boss felt her side were disrespected by a litany of Dutch actions.
These included alleged sniggering during the national anthem and the failure of Veurink to offer the customary handshake at full-time, launching himself into a celebration ceremony for past players.
“In the emotion of the game and that moment, I forgot to shake Carla’s hand,” the former England assistant manager said at the River Lee Hotel, before adding a stinger.
“But she didn't say that we had spoken for 20 minutes before the game.
“Those caps presentations happen every two years. It was nothing against Ireland or us thinking we could win the game easily.” Ward’s pre-match take on the friction morphed her into diplomatic mode.
“Cameras picked up bits and pieces but Arjan and I get on really well,” said the Ireland supremo.
“They had a presentation after the game and their focus turned quickly to that. To be honest they were probably delighted to beat us.” Some spillover needle is no bad thing for an occasion with lots on the line.
Should France slip up against Poland in the other pool match beforehand, a Dutch victory would book them a direct ticket to next year’s World Cup in Brazil with Tuesdays final game to spare.
Ireland’s route to a second successive global showpiece will likely require navigating through the playoffs later in the year but back-to-back victories in April over a Polish side the Netherlands drew against in their opener also present automatic qualification possibilities.
It would need a full six points from the double-header that concludes next Tuesday in Grenoble against France. Yet, if the men’s team defied expectations to finish with a flourish last November, the women will fancy replicating.
Their problem is a depleted armoury. Outside of captain Katie McCabe, Ireland’s two most influential players in the campaign are Denise O’Sullivan and Emily Murphy. Both will be in the GAA’s ground’s stand tonight serving suspensions.
Moreover, the sight of Caitlin Hayes sitting in the same seats in full FAI coat and tracksuit while her teammates undertook their final training session is cause for alarm. The defender was part of Brighton and Hove Albion’s side beaten in last Sunday’s FA Cup final at Wembley but reported into camp carrying an injury. Her resurgence in the four games has been notable and her absence a relief to Veurink worried about that threat from free-kicks and corners.
Hence Ward faces selection dilemmas.
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One option for addressing the probable loss of Hayes is reverting Megan Connolly into defence but a midfield already shorn of her fellow Corkonian O’Sullivan would be threadbare without her. Jessie Stapleton is the most logical like-for-like replacement at the back.
Ireland’s visitors for a match anticipated to attract up to 15,000 are also without key personnel. Vivianne Miedema, scorer of 104 international goals, is unavailable, along with Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar and midfield lynchpin Jill Roord. They have the luxury of promoting Esmee Brugts, fresh from Barcelona’s Champions League win, to the starting line-up.
With everything to gain and nothing to lose, Ireland can afford to be quietly confident. They shocked France two years ago at the home of Munster GAA, followed by beating Slovenia last year, and the hat-trick is within their capabilities.
“It would be a statement win,” confessed McCabe. “I think for us at the start of the campaign against France and against the Netherlands we felt like we could really get something out of both games.
“That just goes to show how far this team has come.
“A couple of years ago we would have been in a different boat, but we are not too far off now.
“We know the strength of this squad and we have got a belief that we can go and create something really special. With the help of all the Cork people I think we can create an amazing atmosphere and be ready to get out of the traps quickly, because the Netherlands know it’s not going to be an easy game for them either.”
Keane would be pleased with such a rosy outlook on his home territory.
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