The Republic of Ireland picked up their first ever point at a major women's tournament as they dug out a goalless draw against Nigeria in their final World Cup group game in Brisbane.
The adventure is over, with the Super Falcons progressing to the last 16 and the Girls in Green now in managerial purgatory.
Vera Pauw's contract is about to expire, and the FAI have yet to offer clarity on whether she will remain in charge for another qualification campaign.
Her team produced another spirited, if limited, display to hold Randy Waldrum’s vibrant outfit who march into the knockout stages alongside Australia, after the hosts thumped Canada 4-0 in Melbourne.
Ireland were indebted to Courtney Brosnan for making a magnificent second-half stop to deny Uchenna Kanu, and though they huffed and puffed, Pauw's side couldn’t fashion a winner the partisan crowd craved.
They begin the long journey back tomorrow, with a homecoming event planned for Dublin’s O’Connell Street this Thursday. Their achievements deserve recognition, but as has been the case before with this Ireland side, off-the-field issues threaten to sour the party.
Pauw tweaked her midfield into a box shape, as Lily Agg sat deep with Ruesha Littlejohn to give Denise O'Sullivan and Sinead Farrelly license to get higher up the pitch.
The tone of the game was set early; Ireland had plenty of possession, with their opponents triggering pressing traps to launch counters.
Toni Payne showed lovely feet to dance away from a challenge and fizz in a wicked cross that no one gambled on. Instantly Ireland responded. Heather Payne’s pullback was controlled by Farrelly, who teed up McCabe to drag a left-footed daisy-cutter a yard past the post.
There was a skittish energy to proceedings.
The volume of the crowd – overwhelmingly Irish – rose in tandem with a manic McCabe press that culminated in goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie calmly ducking inside Carusa to clear her lines.
But the Nigerian threat was always lurking. A wayward Louise Quinn pass 14 minutes in allowed Kanu to slip in Oshoala. The Barcelona striker hared into the box only to guide her effort inches wide when she should have scored.
Still, Pauw’s charges were largely in control.
A Megan Connolly free-kick from the left in the 20th minute caused some panic, Nnadozie requiring two bites at the catch with Agg tantalisingly close to nicking the ball out of her control. Then a terrific McCabe backheel freed O’Sullivan to play Carusa through, the striker attempting to square it back when she should have taken on the shot. Nigeria scrambled it clear.
Farrelly could only shin a deep Payne cross wide on the stretch, but it was positive stuff with Ireland’s shape, for the most part, making it hard for Nigeria to feed their attacking quartet of Kanu, Payne, Rasheedat Ajibade and Oshoala.
Carusa had another sniff ten minutes before the break when Quinn nodded a McCabe cross back into the six-yard box; her tame header failed to trouble Nnadozie.
The lightning quick Toni Payne - Nigeria’s brightest spark in the opening period - dragged a speculative effort wide as the game sagged, and the teams headed for the break all square.
Ireland geed themselves up with a Celtic-style huddle just before the second half kicked off but it was Nigeria who started on the front foot. Oshoala teased a beautifully weighted pass behind the Irish defence for Ajibade to chase, her whipped cross nodded over the bar by Louise Quinn.
Courtney Brosnan makes a stunning save to keep the Republic of Ireland level #wwc2023 #coygig
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Ireland haven’t had many golden moments at this tournament, but in the 52nd minute Brosnan gave them one, producing a truly exceptional save to divert Kanu’s header onto the crossbar from point-blank range. Moments later, Oshoala fizzed a low drive wide after more slick build-up play.
Michelle Alozie, the American-born wing-back who juggles football with her work in paediatric cancer research, was becoming increasingly influential. And Nigeria were turning the screw.
O’Sullivan did have an opening just after the hour mark when Carusa found her inside the box – the Cork midfielder’s strike was charged down by Ashleigh Plumptre.
The news that Australia were breezing past Canada gave Super Falcons boss Randy Waldrum the luxury of taking off his big guns. Oshoala and Kanu were replaced by Ifeoma Onumonu and Gift Monday with over 20 minutes left and urgency began to drain from the contest.
McCabe threaten to repeat her corner-kick heroics when she bent one onto the top of the net in the 74th minute.
Pauw introduced Abbie Larkin and Marissa Sheva in the closing stages, but it felt like a change that should have happened earlier if Ireland really wanted to plunder a victory.
Ultimately they took the draw, picking up a first ever point at a major tournament; another landmark for a team that’s had many.
They look equipped to benefit from this experience and return to the big stage in the future.
For Pauw though, that future looks highly uncertain.
Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Heather Payne (Marissa Sheva 84) , Niamh Fahey (Diane Caldwell 90), Louise Quinn, Megan Connolly, Katie McCabe (Capt); Lily Agg (Abbie Larkin 84), Denise O'Sullivan, Ruesha Littlejohn, Sinead Farrelly; Kyra Carusa
Nigeria: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Capt); Michelle Alozie, Osinachi Ohale, Blessing Demehin, Ashleigh Plumptre; Christy Ucheibe, Halimatu Ayinde, Toni Payne; Rasheedat Ajibade, Uchenna Kanu (Gift Monday 67), Asisat Oshoala (Ifeoma Onumonu 67)
Referee: Katia Garcia (Mexico)
Attendance: 24,884
