IT’S DUTCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
A damp squib for Ireland as Holland show a little too much class
IRELAND’S push for the World Cup became a lot more challenging last night but Colin Bell insists his team are still alive and kicking.
It was always going to be a tall order pulling off a second result of the campaign against European champions Holland.
And so it proved in front of a record 4,047 crowd in Tallaght as the Dutch scored early and again before the break to ease to three points.
Ireland remain second in the group, but third-placed Norway won in Northern Ireland to close the gap on Ireland to a single point ahead of a crunch double-header in June.
Ireland host the Norwegians on June 8 before playing them away four days later in games that will determine Ireland’s fate.
Bell said last night: “It was always going to come down to these games against Norway and that’s how it is.
“Norway also have to play Holland again in the last game - when we play Northern Ireland. That’s why beating Slovakia on Friday was so important.” Bell added: “I love my girls, they’re doing really well and working really hard but we need to improve in a lot of areas.”
In Nijmegen last November, Holland threw the kitchen sink at Ireland with 32 chances on goal but were ultimately frustrated by a remarkable defensive display and forced to settle for a 0-0 draw.
But here in Dublin, they scored early to end Irish hopes of another upset.
Bayern Munich’s Lineth Beerensteyn opened their account by heading home a Renate Jansen cross after Ireland captain Katie Mccabe coughed up possession on the edge of the box. And they doubled it 12 minutes later from a controversial penalty when Diane Caldwell tugged at Danielle van de Donk, although contact looked to be just outside the box.
Sherida Spitse finished from the spot to there and then extinguish any faint Irish hopes of snatching a result.
Holland are seventh in the FIFA world rankings but Bell claimed in the build-up that they are in fact the best side around.
But considering the second goal was dubious at best, Ireland can consider themselves a little unfortunate at the margin of the defeat.
It was always going to be a tough night but Bell’s side still defended admirably with Marie Hourihan making a number of smart saves while Louise Quinn was a pillar of strength.
Yet despite the soggy, boggy Tallaght pitch, Holland lorded possession and dragged the ‘Girls in Green’ here, there and everywhere with slick passing and speed of thought.
And they would have been further ahead had Hourihan not kept them in it with smart saves.
First, the Manchester City goalkeeper tipped Dominique Janssen’s bending free-kick onto the crossbar early in the second-half.
She then thwarted Beerensteyn by saving with her feet from close range but the shot, following a cross from ‘World Player of the Year’ Lieke Martens, lacked punch.
And with 15-minutes to go, Hourihan kept out a Danielle van de Donk shot from eight yards as the Dutch pushed
Ireland were always game but failed to register a shot on target although Denise O’sullivan said:
“There’s three games to go and we’re still very much in the race.”