Republic of Ireland 3-2 Hungary
Abbie Larkin produced a starring performance in front of the sparsest of audiences as the Republic of Ireland earned a 3-2 win in their behind-closed-doors international friendly with Hungary in Spain.
While the scoreline may suggest a close contest, in reality Carla Ward's side dominated for large swathes with Alexandra Szarvas’ side grabbing a second at the death; a world away from a certain other 3-2 win for Ireland over Hungary recently, as the Girls in Green picked up a positive result to carry into next year’s World Cup qualifiers.
Much had been made about the decision to put up the chains for anyone who would have had the desire to head to the Marbella Football Centre – and Ward again defended the decision post-match – but much of the analysis will centre around the sparkling opening half-hour of Crystal Palace youngster Larkin - hero in the Nations League play-off with Belgium - as she scored one and set up the other with Denise O’Sullivan adding the crucial third early in the second half.
The sun was shining in Marbella and in the opening skirmishes it was Hungary who got a hold of the ball with Henrietta Csiszar, who would drop deeper and deeper as the half progressed, trying to set the early tempo.
Their over-eagerness in the tackle gave Ireland a foothold though, with Katie McCabe presented with two opportunities to swing in from the left-hand side from free-kicks.
She didn’t connect cleanly with the first, but Lucy Quinn still met it just inside the box and fired over, before the Arsenal star delivered a pearl of a cross from a similar position. This time an unmarked Caitlin Hayes headed well wide of goal when she really should have tested Lauren Brykcy.
In the eighth minute, Ireland hit the front and it was all down to the alertness of Larkin.
There seemed little danger as Hungary played the ball around the Hungarian defence, but Csiszar, the last player back, took a heavy touch allowing Larkin to nip in and steal possession.
The 20-year-old hared away and with the retreating defenders unable to make up the ground, she had enough time to confidently pick her spot.
The match was tetchy in those early stages – Anna Patten and Borbala Vincze having something of a running battle – but Ward’s side were really taking control.
That was made evident 18 minutes in when they doubled their advantage through Kyra Carusa – but much of the credit had to again go the way of Larkin.
O’Sullivan picked her out in space in midfield and once she turned in possession, the Hungarian defenders didn’t know whether to drop off or attempt to close her down. They chose the latter, allowing Larkin to race to the edge of the box; she then had the vision to pick out Carusa and although the pass was ever so slightly behind the striker, Carusa’s first touch took the ball out of her feet and she finished cleverly past the advancing Brykcy.
O’Sullivan then had her first sight of goal as she combined beautifully with Larkin with her shot from outside the box charged down by Beatrix Fordos.
Ward would have been delighted with the opening 25 minutes, but they were unable to build from that position of strength and allowed their opponents to grow back into the contest.
A few long balls towards Vincze could have worked out only for some good covering defending from Aoife Mannion in particular, but Hungary did halve the deficit 27 minutes in.
Sule Dora had space in midfield but despite losing her balance, she was able to stab a pass towards the Irish goal that fell beautifully into the path of the onrushing Diana Csanyi who saw her effort brilliantly stopped by Irish debutant Sophie Whitehouse.
The rebound, however, fell kindly to Vincze just outside the box and although the contact wasn’t the cleanest, it had enough energy in it to sneak through the Irish bodies in its path with Hayes’ attempt to clear the ball off the line agonisingly failing.
Patten gave Vincze a bump after the latter’s dangerous looking slide tackle as the competitiveness ramped up a level, and Hungary really should have levelled things five minutes before the break through the Zurich youngster.
Hayes got too tight to her opponent and was sucked towards midfield and while Patten read the danger, she got her covering header all wrong as the ball was played long from right back.
Suddenly it left Hungary with a three-on-two with Csanyi bringing the ball forward before slipping it left to her teammate, but Vincze’s effort flew high over Whitehouse’s crossbar.
No doubt Ward’s half-time message would have been for her troops to regain control and that’s exactly what they did in a second half that proved extremely limited on goalmouth action at either end.
Jessie Stapleton and Chloe Mustaki came in for Tyler Toland and Mannion as Ireland really started to dominate possession with Patten pushing into midfield.
O’Sullivan was too high with an effort after good battling by Ireland in the Hungary box caused panic, but the same player did grab the settling goal in the 53rd minutes.
While the first two strikes owed much to Larkin’s individual brilliance, this was a team goal that would have really satisfied the manager.
Lucy Quinn’s deep cross to the back post was headed back across goal by Hayley Nolan and O’Sullivan had timed her run perfectly, side-footing low past Brykcy for her 22nd international goal.
The game as a contest all but died from that point on; both managers running the bench and Ireland bossing the midfield exchanges, allowing them to retain and recycle without any need to really push for a fourth and little threat coming the other way.
Leanne Kiernan returned from injury and looked busy down the left after entering the fray, but one such burst saw Hungary’s Fordos suffer what looked a nasty knee injury as she tried to stop the Cavan player’s advances.
While Ireland were content to rest on three, they were given a scare right at the death as in a carbon copy of their first, they were punished for trying to be too clever playing it out from the back.
Stapleton was the guilty party on this occasion, with Zsanett Kajet stealing the ball off her just inside the box and taking a touch before firing low past Whitehouse as the game ticked towards the 90th minute.
Ireland – comfortably the better team throughout – were able to ease through three minutes additional time as they earned a morale-boosting result to carry into 2026.
Republic of Ireland: Sophie Whitehouse, Caitlin Hayes, Aoife Mannion, Tyler Toland, Denise O'Sullivan, Katie McCabe, Anna Patten, Hayley Nolan, Lucy Quinn, Kyra Carusa, Abbie Larkin.
Substitutes: Jessie Stapleton for Toland (ht), Chloe Mustaki for Mannion (ht), Leanne Kiernan for Carusa (60), Jamie Finn for Quinn (60), Saoirse Noonan for Larkin (77), Tara O’Hanlon for McCabe (83).
