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Sue Ronan highlights the underage feats underpinning Ireland's golden crop

Denise O'Sullivan and Katie McCabe pictured in 2015, early in their Ireland senior careers, during Sue Ronan's tenure
Denise O'Sullivan and Katie McCabe pictured in 2015, early in their Ireland senior careers, during Sue Ronan's tenure

Vera Pauw's Republic of Ireland squad is a confluence of generations, with an older guard led by defenders such as Louise Quinn, Niamh Fahey and Diane Caldwell and the youngsters represented by teenager Abbie Larkin.

However, the bulk of the 23 selected for the World Cup is made up of a core of players in their mid-to-late 20s, born between early 1994 and mid-1997.

And a good chunk of those, including star names Katie McCabe and Denise O'Sullivan first made their senior international debuts during Sue Ronan's time as Ireland manager between 2010 and 2016.

Ronan joined this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast and shared an insight into the early promise shown by that generation at underage level before they truly established themselves as senior stalwarts.

"We sort of had a bit of a golden generation from that squad that won a medal in the Under-17s European Championships under Noel King in 2010," she said.

"They were an exceptional squad. You had Denise in that, you had Ciara Grant who has come back (into the Ireland squad for the World Cup). I also gave Ciara her debut.

"You had Rianna Jarrett who unfortunately has gone off the (international scene) through all the unfortuante injuries she's had. Clare Shine would have been part of that group, Megan Campbell... there was a really good nucleus of players who you thought were a golden generation."

In that European Championships, the Irish U17s topped a qualifying group which featured traditional powerhouses Sweden before edging Germany 1-0 in the semi-finals at the final tournament.

An agonising penalty shootout defeat to Spain denied them the gold medal but it allowed the Girls in Green to compete at the U17 World Cup for the first and, thus far, only time.

That tournament in Trinidad and Tobago saw King's side - which was captained by Grant and featured fellow 2023 World Cup squad members O'Sullivan and goalkeeper Grace Moloney as well as other future senior internations - go on to reach the quarter-finals after topping their group.

"They were only narrowly beaten by the eventual winners Japan in the quarter-finals," said Ronan.

The Ireland U19s in 2012 featuring Chloe Mustaki, Katie McCabe, Denise O'Sulliven, Rianna Jarrett and Clare Shine

"Unfortunately, the structures weren't there to sustain their growth or to support it the way it needed to be.

"At the time, the structures weren't here and the league even in England wouldn't have been at the level it's at now. It was really only the cream of the crop that were getting to the top clubs and top leagues around the world."

However, despite those disadvantages, she added that it was evident that the likes of O'Sullivan, Grant and Campbell were "something special".

They were quickly followed by current captain Katie McCabe who made her mark in the Under-19s.

"She was part of a very successful team under Dave Connell with the Under-19s and they also got to a semi-final of a European Championship in 2014 and again to get out of the group in Norway, they beat three highly fancied teams: England, Spain and Sweden," said Ronan.

"Unfortunately, they were beaten in the semi-final by the Netherlands and they came up against a very young Vivianne Miedema who is one of the top players in the world now and is unfortunately missing out on the World Cup with injury but she was just blitzing everybody back then.

"Unfortunately we met them in the semi-finals and lost but Katie was part of that group and of course you knew she was special as well and it's great to see them come through."

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