Kyra Carusa is out of the Republic of Ireland's Nations League clash against Greece at Tallaght Stadium tomorrow night due to a quad injury.
It's another setback for head coach Carla Ward, who will also be without suspended captain Katie McCabe, however the mood is upbeat in the camp after a strong second-half showing in Crete last Friday put the Greeks to the sword.
Four goals without reply on the turnaround was a reassuring response to what had been a lacklustre performance in the opening period. Now the Girls in Green need to repeat the trick against the same opponents if they are to keep alive their hopes of winning Group 2 and gaining promotion back to League A.
"It's an opportunity for others," Ward said in reference to the absence of McCabe and Carusa, with Shelbourne's Alex Kavanagh called up on Sunday to fill the void.
"Amber (Barrett) came on and did tremendously well. Saoirse Noonan's been absolutely brilliant since she's come in. Look, there's a lot of people in those areas that can step into their shoes.
"When one door closes, another one opens for some individuals. I think that other people need to step up and take their opportunity. I've said it many times, we've got a tremendously good squad, we've got an abundance of quality, great people, a togetherness and a willingness to learn."
"We all know Katie would be here, and yes we probably would have had to manage minutes again."
McCabe, who has returned to Arsenal, only came on at half-time on Friday as she recovers from a calf strain she suffered against Real Madrid almost two weeks ago.
"Yeah, slight reaction, not a massive reaction," Ward said when asked if McCabe had felt her calf after her exertions at the Theodoros Vardinogiannis stadium.
"It's important with Arsenal and what’s coming up, it’s a case of trying to get that calf now right. If she wasn’t suspended we all know Katie would be here, and yes we probably would have had to manage minutes again.
"But the fact that she is suspended I think it’s really important that she can get that calf right, not just for Arsenal but we have two massive games again in May and June, so I think the right decision has been made."
Meanwhile Ward addressed the omission of Caitlin Hayes (above) from her starting XI. The Brighton centre-half was a mainstay of the team under Eileen Gleeson, consistently impressing at the heart of the defence, but she's barely had a look-in under Ward, only getting a few minutes off the bench in the 1-0 win against Turkey in February.
"Look those are conversations that me and Caitlin have had, we've got a really open relationship," added Ward.
"I’m sure the players will tell you I’ll often give you a really honest answer. She knows where she’s at, she’s on board with where she’s at. I think Jessie (Stapleton) has done tremendously well as has Anna Patten, and there is real competition in that back-line.
"Do you know what? I think it’s probably the one area that there is a number of players you could play and they all really do a job for their country, it’s just an area with a lot of competition.
"But I will say Caitlin has been tremendous, her attitude has been brilliant, she’s trained really well, and yeah it’s tough competition, which naturally now will increase and raise the bar for each other."
Watch Republic of Ireland v Greece in the Women's Nations League on Tuesday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live commentary on 2fm's Game On
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