Real World Cup test looms for Ireland after hapless Kazakhstan crushed

Ireland's Denise O'Sullivan with Alexandra Burova of Kazakhstan. Pic: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Ireland 4 (Jessie Stapleton 40, Katie McCabe 48, Lucy Quinn 70, Denise O‘Sullivan 73) Kazakhstan 0 (Ireland win 12-0 on aggregate).

Formalities completed for Ireland on the World Cup trail as they put on another show for the Pairc Uí Chaoimh crowd by lifting their aggregate score to double figures.

Kazakhstan were so bruised from last Friday’s 8-0 thumping that they might have considered avoiding the long haul and taking a 3-0 loss.

Instead, the side ranked 98 in the world will take whatever crumbs of solace from being once again from being outplayed by an Ireland team heading for a showdown against Poland. At least they got a warm reception from the home crowd at the conclusion of this drubbing.

So evident was the chasm in the class that Carla Ward could have fielded her U19 team or the local Cork City outfit and still completed the mission of hurdling this semi-final.

The Ireland manager only made four changes to her selection and the second half goals by Katie McCabe, Lucy Quinn and Denise O’Sullivan meant there were 10 different scorers across the two legs.

Victory ensured Ireland maintained their 100% record at the home of Cork GAA, the crowd of 10,344 observing them following up wins over France, Slovenia and Netherlands with the easiest of all.

Denise O’Sullivan, left, and Amber Barrett of Republic of Ireland celebrate after the final whistle. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Aside from the scoreline, the statistics are compelling evidence for Uefa to reboot the playoff format. Overall, Ireland generated 29 attempts on target. For the Kazaks, their one and only effort took until 18 minutes from the end of the second leg when Asselkhan Turlybekova floated attempt was easily saved by Courtney Brosnan.

Unlike the first leg, there was no early deluge as the Irish side, despite McCabe and O’Sullivan returning, sluggish in creating the gaps to exploit.

Abbie Larkin did see her angled shot hacked off the line after six minutes before McCabe swiped a shot over the crossbar from the left.

Jessie Stapleton then scooped McCabe’s free-kick cross over the bar but the defender would have joy eventually five minutes before the break by powering her header off Anna Patten’s cross into the bottom corner.

McCabe’s renowned accuracy would always tell and within three minutes of the restart, she steadied herself on the edge of the D to sink a low effort beyond Angelina Portnova.

Two more goals arrived four minutes apart, Lucy Quinn curling home a low cross by fellow substitute Tyler Toland before local hero O’Sullivan stabbed the ball from close range.

IRELAND: C Brosnan; A Mannion (L Quinn 62), A Patten (T Toland 46), H Nolan, J Stapleton, K McCabe; S Hopcroft (M Sheva 46), D O’Sullivan, M Connolly; A Larkin (A Barrett 62), E Murphy (K Carusa 82).

KAZAKHSTAN: A Portnova; A Burova, A Viasspva, B Nurusheva, A Nizamutdinova, Y Babshuk; A Gaistenova, K Zhumabalkyzy, A Turlybekova; F Satygaliyeva, A Bibossynova.

Referee: Michaela Pachtová (Czechia). 

Attendance: 10,344.