GLEESON’S GREEN SHOOTS
Ireland stroll to victory in Aviva debut in front of a record-breaking crowd
THERE is no turning back now. In front of a record attendance for a women’s football game in this country, we saw a new beginning for this Ireland team. As captain Katie McCabe and interim boss Eileen Gleeson led the team on a lap of honour, where they showed their appreciation to many of the 35,944 who remained long after the final whistle of this inaugural Nations League encounter, there was a sense that the side can move forward and leave the messy recent past in the rear-view mirror.
The clearest illustration that the team are moving on from their previous manager was encapsulated in Tyler Toland’s composed and confident display in midfield. The young Donegal woman, who made her international debut at 16, had been exiled under Vera Pauw, having fallen out with the Dutchwoman.
Toland gave a masterclass of doing the simple things well in the middle of the park, occasionally getting words of encouragement from McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan.
She rarely wasted a touch and always offered herself as an outlet. It wasn’t a surprise when she was named Player of the Match.
Caitlin Hayes was another who typified the new dawn. The Celtic defender was only drafted into the squad earlier in the week, but she was so comfortable operating as part of a back three with Louise Quinn and Diane Caldwell that it felt like she had been around forever. Hayes also proved to be quite the weapon from setpieces, getting her head on the end of a couple of corners.
Ireland needed to deliver a good performance here. And a team that has found it notoriously difficult to score in the past year had to find the net. They ended up getting three, and it could have been a lot more, given the chances they created against a side that struggled to bridge the gap in fitness and conditioning.
There was a very obvious gulf in class. Hardly surprising given that all 16 of the players that Gleeson called upon yesterday play in professional, full-time set-ups while only half a dozen of the North’s starting players do. As the second half wore on, the difference became much more stark but the first half was just as one-sided. Ireland did take some time to settle. That was probably understandable given the attention and focus on the team, as well as the magnitude of the occasion. Remember that women’s football has been waiting for a long time to play at Lansdowne Road. As much as the players tried to treat it as just another game, it was never going to feel like that.
Lucy Quinn’s tremendous volley from the edge of the box in the 31st minute quelled any anxiety. The team had started to turn the screw in the few minutes prior to the goal and Quinn’s own corner 30 seconds before almost resulted in a goal when Hayes headed the ball goalward.
Quinn’s drive took a nick off Rachel Furness, but it was still a brilliant goal and the confidence started to course through the team. The Southampton native was someone who came to the fore under the previous manager – announcing her arrival with a debut goal against Australia in Tallaght – but even though she is a consistently busy presence, she had been in and out of the team. Playing up top alongside
MASTERCLASS: Tyler Toland made her return in some style Kyra Carusa, Quinn could have had another couple before the interval, stabbing home an effort that was cleared off the line brilliantly by Sarah McFadden. It was one of a number of last-ditch clearances – Demi Vance did something similar to Carusa in the 49th minute.
Carusa wouldn’t be denied, though, and when McCabe lofted a ball forward in the 70th minute to relieve one of the few periods of sustained Northern pressure in the game, Carusa capitalised on a lapse of concentration between Rebecca Holloway and Shannon Turner, and curled the loose ball into an empty net from 40 yards out.
The North visibly tired as the second half wore on, and a third goal was looking likely. It came again from a set-piece with Lily Agg, only on the field a couple of minutes, heading McCabe’s corner against the post and over the line. There might have been more goals but, given how few Ireland have scored in 2023, three will do for the time being.
Other than that, it was interesting to see the system that Ireland played. McCabe and Heather Payne were given much more licence to go forward as wing-backs than they had under the previous regime.
A deliberate ploy, as Gleeson said afterwards, considering the talent that Ireland have out wide. Giving Carusa a helping hand up top also benefited the team.
All of this must be framed in terms of the opposition. Even if the North defended gamely at times, they offered very little going forward, not even mustering a shot the whole game. Indeed, all Courtney Brosnan had to do was claim a couple of crosses. It was all pretty straightforward and it may be again this Tuesday in Budapest, considering Hungary could only draw 1-1 with Albania on Friday.
But this game was more about an occasion, a celebration of how far the women’s game has come.
And that is why the players and coaching staff walked slowly around the Aviva in the end.
But it was also a glimpse into the future, and the seamless way that both Toland and Hayes slotted into the team suggests that it is pretty bright indeed.