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Jessie Stapleton returns as Carla Ward names squad for final showdowns

Jesse Stapleton is back in the Republic of Ireland squad
Jesse Stapleton is back in the Republic of Ireland squad

Jessie Stapleton is back in the Republic of Ireland squad for the World Cup qualifiers against the Netherlands and France as the Girls in Green target a seismic final window to ignite their dreams of making it to Brazil.

Carla Ward has named an expanded 25-player squad with Denise O'Sullivan and Emily Murphy both suspended for the clash with the Dutch at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. They will be available for the subsequent trip to Grenoble in France.

Stapleton missed April's double-header against Poland but returns for these blockbuster matches, as does Crystal Palace defender Hayley Nolan. Shelbourne midfielder Aoibheann Clancy keeps up her place in the squad.

Ireland - who beat Poland twice in April - head into their last window still in the mix to win the group and qualify directly for next summer's tournament.

To do that they will likely have to beat the Dutch (ranked 10th in the world) and French (seventh).

It would be a remarkable achievement; the Girls in Green are the bottom seeds in their four-team group and would be punching above their weight by finishing third.

Ireland are guaranteed a place in the play-offs which begin in October.


Republic of Ireland squad

Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton FC), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic), Grace Moloney (Sunderland).

Defenders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal FC), Anna Patten (Aston Villa FC), Caitlin Hayes (Brighton & Hove Albion), Hayley Nolan (Crystal Palace), Aoife Mannion (Newcastle United), Jessie Stapleton (West Ham United), Chloe Mustaki (Nottingham Forest).

Midfielders: Denise O'Sullivan (Liverpool)*, Tyler Toland (Durham), Megan Connolly (Lazio), Marissa Sheva (Sunderland), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Ruesha Littlejohn (Crystal Palace), Jamie Finn (Sunderland), Aoibheann Clancy (Shelbourne), Jess Ziu (West Ham United).

Attackers: Saoirse Noonan (Celtic FC), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Emily Murphy (Newcastle United)*, Kyra Carusa (Kansas City Current - loan), Amber Barrett (Strasbourg).

*Suspended for Netherlands fixture


5 June: Republic of Ireland v Netherlands, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 7.30pm

9 June: France v Ireland, Stade des Alpes, 8pm

Ireland table

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