'I wasn't settling for 2-2': Ward lavishes praise after Dutch demolition

Republic of Ireland players and staff, including head coach Carla Ward and captain Katie McCabe celebrate. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Carla Ward insists Ireland were rewarded for their bravery by slaying the Netherlands in their penultimate Women’s World Cup qualifier in Cork.

Three times her team took the lead and the final goal coming in the last minute was crucial as Amber Barrett’s winner propelled Ireland into second place heading into Tuesday’s final game.

Victory over the French in Grenoble would book a direct ticket to the World Cup in Brazil. Otherwise, the playoffs beckon later in the year.

“We have to believe we can play against anybody, compete against anybody and I didn't want to settle at 2-2,” the Ireland manager said about launching Saoirse Noonan on from the bench with five minutes left.

“I was clear to the players and the staff that if we went into the closing stages, still in the game, drawing or behind, we were going to go for it and that's probably why you saw us flip to the aggressive way we did and thankfully it paid off.

“We had two plans. One for the first half. We knew that we were going to play Ruesha Littlejohn until halftime.

“We knew that we were going to take Ruesha off at half-time, finish with Jess Ziu for the second half.

“So they're slightly different, well very different players, with slightly different ways of playing.

“We knew that if we're still in the game at half-time, then we've got a chance to be a little bit more aggressive in the second half but play with the ball a little bit more.

“This group is resilient. It's got character. Everybody, we're tight, we're together, we talk about it all the time.

Barrett once again delivered on the big occasion, mirroring her heroics from clinching Ireland’s first-ever World Cup slot four years ago in Scotland.

“Amber was disappointed not to start, and rightly so,” said the manager.

“She said to me at the end, 'I told ya!'

“I said, 'No, I told you. I told you you were gonna come on and win us the game.' They all understand this is all for the team but she's done tremendously well.

“She was the super-sub tonight, wasn't she? They all were, to be fair.” 

History in Ireland’s hands to face another superpower.

France will need to win too because a Netherlands win over Poland would usurp the French on the head-to-head criteria.

“I said we can qualify and I tell the players every day that they can compete against anyone,” added Ward.

“The Netherlands are in the top 10 in the world and look at what we've done tonight. We can’t wait for Tuesday now, especially having Denise O’Sullivan and Emily Murphy back from suspension.”