UEFA WOMEN'S NATIONS LEAGUE
Republic of Ireland v Hungary, Tallaght Stadium, 7.30pm
TV
Watch live coverage on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 7.00pm
RADIO
Listen to live radio commentary on RTÉ 2fm
ONLINE
Follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app
Ireland looking to push towards clean sweep in League B Group 1
Four from four so far for the Republic of Ireland in their Nations League group, and with first place secured and promotion promised, the only thing left for Eileen Gleeson's squad to achieve is to make it six from six to bid farewell to the second tier of European football in style.
It has been fairly straightforward thus far for the Ireland team who started off with comprehensive victories over Northern Ireland at a packed Aviva Stadium, followed by an impressive 4-0 away day against Hungary.
A couple of slips then came against Albania as Gleeson's side let in an early one in the home game before they just about managed to stay on their feet on the sodden turf away at the Stadiumi Loro Borici. And yet six points were achieved as they secured a 5-1 win in the home match before sneaking a 1-0 amidst the Albanian deluge.
So on to Friday night's game and it should be another three points in the bag against the second-placed side, and while Hungary fielded a somewhat understrength team in that 4-0 away game, Katie McCabe and Co should have more than enough quality to see them to victory at Tallaght Stadium.
Win number five should be added and then it's the road north to Belfast for the final group game on Tuesday at Windsor Park.
Gleeson predicts she "will always be part of this team"
Eileen Gleeson has done a pretty excellent job as interim manager with four impressive wins under her belt since the departure of Vera Pauw, and while she refused to indicate if she was keen to remain in charge, she does believe that she has a future with the squad.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Gleeson said: "I see my future with this team, I'll always be part of this team, I love this team, and Ireland and Irish football."
As for the game, she is making sure that the team do not take their eye off the ball and is preparing for a tough test from the visiting Hungary side.
"They've been assertive in their press and pressed high, with two [forwards]. For us if teams drop off we’ve been working on movements to create space in behind and to create that space and exploit that space.
"We’ve got a lot of creativity now. Like I said, we’ve got really positive and assertive wide players. We’re using players in different pockets of the pitch then to link the play centrally and also be able to use the wide areas.
"We’ll be prepared for every eventuality but I do think Hungary will be a little bit more assertive in their starting position when they come out."
"We wanted to top the group, we've done that. We’ve got promotion to League A but it’s not any complacency, we want to be better so that’s what we’re driving now."
No injury issues ahead of final Group 1 double-header
With two games to play over the next week, the manager will, no doubt, use her squad to cover both the Dublin match and the trip to Belfast.
And with no injury issues to contend with, Gleeson can name her strongest team for the Hungary game and then see where the squad stands ahead of the game against the North.
With top spot sewn up, Gleeson could - but probably won't - experiment with her starting eleven and give the second string a workout and a chance to gain valuable international experience.
It would be a very brave move for the manager to leave Katie McCabe and Denise O'Sullivan out of tomorrow night's game to ask the squad to step up and show that they are more than capable of performing without their two marquee players.
McCabe and O'Sullivan may not be too impressed with such tactics, and it is unlikely that Gleeson would even consider such a notion when the team are building an unbeaten run and a strong winning mentality.
But there will be changes, no doubt, so with the pressure off, it does offer a great opportunity for the next generation to show who is capable of moving into those big shoes somewhere further down the line.
Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (London City Lionesses), Sophie Whitehouse (Lewes)
Defenders: Caitlin Hayes (Celtic), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Diane Caldwell (FC Zurich), Hayley Nolan (Crystal Palace), Jessie Stapleton (West Ham United), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City)
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Bristol City), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Sinead Farrelly (NJ/NY Gotham), Ruesha Littlejohn (London City Lionesses), Lily Agg (Birmingham City), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Heather Payne (Everton), Izzy Atkinson (West Ham United)
Forwards: Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Freya Healy (Peamount United), Abbie Larkin (Glasgow City), Erin McLaughlin (Peamount United), Saoirse Noonan (Durham WFC), Ellen Dolan (Peamount United)
Watch Republic of Ireland v Hungary in the UEFA Nations League on Friday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live commentary on 2fm
