Mighty Quinn plays her part
Wicklow woman helps Ireland to a dramatic victory
WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
REP. OF IRELAND SLOVAKIA 2 1
‘WOW, what a way to win it! Job done from these girls! We really had to grind it out, but this is what World Cup Qualifiers are all about and it felt damn good’.
If you missed the drama from the Irish women’s soccer team’s qualifier against Slovakia last week then the above tweet from Wicklow’s Louise Quinn will tell you some of what you need to know about the late smash and grab by the national team that has kept their dream of reaching next year’s World Cup.
In the end it fell to substitute Amber Barrett to keep that dream alive when she fired home the winner four minutes from the end of the entertaining clash at Tallaght Stadium last week.
The visiting Slovakians looked like they’d grabbed their first point of the campaign when Ireland goalkeeper Marie Hourihan gifted them an equaliser just two minutes after Leanne Kiernan had given the Girls in Green a 69th-minute lead.
However, Donegal native Barrett took just eight minutes after being introduced to pounce for Ireland’s second and, ultimately, victory ahead of their clash with the Netherlands this week. Louise Quinn prior to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifier match between Republic of Ireland and Slovakia at Tallaght Stadium.
With Ireland facing a potentially vital dropped two points, the striker showed a cool head to latch onto a long ball by play
er of the match Karen Duggan and beat Maria Korenclova from 10 yards. It sparked triumphant celebrations from the 3,521 spectators in Tallaght, with the match-winner picking up a yellow card for taking her jersey off. Ireland boss Colin Bell will forgive the 21-year-old for indulging the moment as his team
faced the European champions yesterday (Tuesday) at the same venue knowing they could consolidate their place at the summit with victory.
It had been a frustrating afternoon for Ireland on their first home qualifier having racked up two wins and a draw in their opening three games, all away from home.
Captain Katie McCabe and Leanne Kiernan both went close in the first half, but it took Diane Caldwell’s incisive pass on 69 minutes to send Kiernan clear and she did the rest by blasting home inside the near post.
From jubilation came desolation.
Jana Vojtekova’s cross looked innocuous but Hourihan allowed the ball skim of her knee and divert into the net.
A late rally proved beneficial, however, with Barrett’s first goal of the campaign keeping Ireland on the road to France and a first major tournament qualification.
Wicklow’s Quinn was a vital cog in a stubborn Irish defence, while Aoife O’Gorman and Claire Walsh were unavailable due to injury.
M Hourihan; S Perry-Campbell, L Quinn, D Caldwell, K Duggan; N Fahey, M Connolly; R Littlejohn (A Barrett 78), D O’Sullivan, K McCabe; L Kiernan.
IRELAND: SLOVAKIA:
M Korenclova; L Suskova, P Fischerova, D Bartovicova, J Vojtekova; P Hmirova, A Biroova, M Mikolajova (L Harsanyova 89), V Susolova, M Surnovska (K Fabova 83); D Skorvankova.
REFEREE:
Simona Ghisletta (SUI).