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Girls in Green hammer Northern Ireland to end Nations League in style

Updated / Wednesday, 6 Dec 2023 07:59

The Republic of Ireland made it six UEFA Nations League wins out of six on Tuesday evening as they breezed past Northern Ireland 6-1 at Windsor Park.

Goals from Lucy Quinn and Heather Payne had the visitors in control by half-time, with Katie McCabe, Kyra Carusa, Louise Quinn and Cailtin Hayes reducing this international derby to a procession.

In what was interim manager Eileen Gleeson's final game at the helm, the visitors turned on the style to sweep aside their spirited but limited hosts.

The FAI will confirm the new permanent boss before Christmas. Whoever it is, they’ll be walking into a dressing room bursting with confidence and hungry to realise big ambitions.

Before God Save The King, there was a little slice of history as Amhrán na bhFiann was played for the first time at this venue. Both anthems were respectfully observed at a ground that’s had a significant makeover in the 29 years since Jack Charlton brought his Republic of Ireland here for a Euro 96 qualifier, which they won 4-0.

That was the last time the two national teams had met in a senior soccer international in Belfast before tonight; and though Northern Ireland needed a result to keep alive their hopes of making the promotion play-offs, any aspirations they had of pulling off a shock wilted badly.

Katie McCabe lets fly at Windsor Park

Initially it seemed as though we’d have a spiky nip-and-tuck contest. There was barely five seconds on the clock when Chloe McCarron hit Ruesha Littlejohn with a bone-shaking challenge that left the midfielder seeing stars.

It looked like a tone-setter, but Ireland soon settled.

Carusa almost punished goalkeeper Maddison Harvey-Clifford’s nonchalance by charging down her delayed clearance, the ball ricocheting wide. Then McCabe laid down a marker of her own when she petulantly stepped over Rebecca McKenna, almost trodding on the Charlton Athletic defender.

Soon after, McCabe clattered into Caragh Hamilton, both players requiring treatment after a clash of shins. Windsor Park had their pantomime villain. McCabe would have the last laugh.

There were sporadic home attacks that raised the decibel levels, but Gleeson’s team had the classiest operators on the park. On 37 minutes, that extra quality told.

Hayes picked out McCabe with a peach of a crossfield pass. The Tallaght woman killed it with a good touch and slipped a clever ball into the path of Lucy Quinn, who showed lovely feet to tiptoe around Sarah McFadden before firing past the wrong-footed Harvey-Clifford.

Less than two minutes later, the lead was doubled.

Quinn turned provider this time, bending in a sweet ball from the left side of the box that found the marauding Payne, who had triggered the move from deep. She slammed home an emphatic first-time volley that completely took the wind out of Northern Ireland’s sails.

They did go close to grabbing an instant lifeline when Brosnan had to scoop away Callaghan’s deep cross from under her own crossbar, but Ireland headed for half-time two goals to the good and in control. News filtered through that Hungary were hammering Albania, meaning the North now had to win to come second in the group.

However just two minutes into the second half, it was game over. McCabe swung in a cross from the left that Carusa glanced home.

By the 50th minute it was officially a rout. McCabe slalomed in from the left, glided past a couple of opponents and then curled a lesser-spotted right-footed shot into the top corner. The Girls in White were playing with supreme confidence now, stitching together slick passages of play against their opponents.

Just after the hour mark, Ireland got their fifth when Megan Connolly’s out-swinging corner was superbly guided into the top corner by Louise Quinn.

Kerry Beattie nabbed a consolation in the 75th minute when she turned home Holloway’s effort from close range. They rallied after that, buoyed by an enthusiastic crowd, but the deficit – and overall gulf – was too large. Ireland were just too strong, Hayes hammering another nail in the coffin with a sixth off another Connolly corner three minutes from time.

The Republic of Ireland’s entire starting 11, plus the four subs who came on, are all playing in professional setups in England, Scotland and the USA. The North have a large contingent of homebased part-timers, a team with heart and potential that’s making its way under Tanya Oxtoby.

Meanwhile the Republic of Ireland will bounce into 2024 feeling good about their chances of making it to Euro 2025. There's bigger tests to come, but they have never looked so readily equipped to handle them.

Northern Ireland: Maddy Harvey-Clifford; Rebecca McKenna (Demi Vance HT), Sarah McFadden, Laura Rafferty; Caragh Hamilton, Nadene Caldwell (Danielle Maxwell 66), Chloe McCarron (Megan Bell 82), Marissa Callaghan (capt), Rebecca Holloway; Lauren Wade, Simone Magill (Kerry Beattie HT)

Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Caitlin Hayes, Louise Quinn (Chloe Mustaki 81), Megan Connolly, Katie McCabe; Heather Payne (Abbie Larkin 63), Ruesha Littlejohn (Jessie Stapleton 63), Lucy Quinn (Izzy Atkinson 81), Denise O’Sullivan, Jamie Finn (Lily Agg 85); Katie McCabe (capt); Kyra Carusa

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