EILEEN GLEESON AND Katie McCabe say tomorrow’s Euro 2025 qualifying showdown against England at the Aviva Stadium is “just another step in our journey”.
The Irish head coach and captain wouldn’t be drawn into talk on significance and rivalry as they face the European champions in a competitive fixture for the first time since 1987.
“It is a huge game,” Gleeson said. “A really big game, really exciting. It’s in the Aviva, home crowd. Over 30,000 tickets sold. But it’s another big step along the way in the qualifying campaign.”
“It’s just another game for us,” McCabe added. “It’s just another step in our journey in qualification for the Euros.
“We know it’s going to be tough, that’s what we’re made of, we’re made of strong stuff as Ireland and as a nation.
“We are at home, over 30,000 tickets sold, and that buzz that the fans create for us whether in Tallaght or at the Aviva is so special to us and we feel that when we step onto the pitch, we feel that we’ve got a stadium behind us and it’s going to be massively important for us tomorrow night.
“So if you do have a ticket, make sure you’re coming and watching us, because it will be crucial in helping us tomorrow.”
Jess Ziu has been ruled out with a hamstring issue, and the West Ham wide player is replaced in the squad by Glasgow City’s Emily Whelan.
Gleeson is waiting for a final update on Amber Barrett, after the Standard Liege striker limped off with a muscle injury in Friday night’s 1-0 defeat to France.
McCabe hailed “some shift” in Metz and believes the Girls In Green can compete in Group A3. England and Sweden drew 1-1 at Wembley Stadium on Friday.
“We’re realistic, but we always believe we can go and beat anyone on our day, we’ve got the quality, we’ve got a world-class goalkeeper, how we set up, the art of defending at times.
“We’ve shown our quality in how we can attack in previous games throughout the Nations League so it’s about finding the balance and for us against these big teams, these big nations, there is only a couple of moments at this level as well so we just need to make sure we’re on it tomorrow and decisive in those moments.”
Gleeson said she saw “no surprises” from the Lionesses on Friday, and that the Irish crowd will be “absolutely huge”.
“We know England. They are a team that dominates possession. They’re very aggressive, high lines, no surprises, but obviously they’re still bringing their quality.”
McCabe, meanwhile, said she had not spoken to her Arsenal team-mates Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Beth Mead or Alessia Russo ahead of the clash.
“My Arsenal teammates pose a lot of threats. They’re world-class players but so is the rest of the squad. They’re not European champions for no reason. They’ve got quality all over their squad and obviously we’ll be looking to nullify that on tomorrow night. As I said, there’s not just the Arsenal girls to look out for. They’ve got a range of quality in players. We’ll make sure to obviously be keeping their strengths at bay.”
The Dubliner could shed no further light on Arsenal’s post-season friendly against Australia, which could mean a gruelling 34,000km round-trip before Ireland’s double-header against Sweden next month.
“I’ve no idea, obviously Arsenal have committed to a trip Down Under in Melbourne and as far as I know, nothing has been set in stone yet in terms of squad and stuff. My full focus is on tomorrow, it’s a long way away.
“Look myself and my teammates are all in the same position, we all have qualifiers post the Australian trip. I’m an Arsenal player, I’m contracted to play for Arsenal and of course if they need me to play, then I’ll be playing for them.”
Thank the Lord Cafferkey is gone. Been a great servant but past it. Vaughan the best choice to nullify Star.
Seamus to be dropped, Durcan to start in the half backs with Lee coming into the middle to shackle Moran and stop the ball being fed into the front 3.
God knows we owe the cute hoor artists…here’s hoping.
@Jack Strong: just wait till we get Jack Barry on. Keegan and Aidan o shea won’t know what hit them
@Seán O’Sullivan: Enda Smith, the form midfielder in the country, disagrees. If we’re going to get at Kerry at all it’s going to be in midfield. Aidan on Maher gives us a real chance of getting the running game going from the half back line. If we get Paddy, Zippy and Kev Mc running at the Kerry defence ye’re in trouble.
@Seán O’Sullivan: Jack Barry is a poor man’s William Kirby. No where near as good as he’s made out to be. A big block of a man but a very limited footballer.
@Tomás Ó Tiocair: if he’s that bad how did he play Brian Fenton off the field in the league final? If he can do it to Fenton he can do it to keegan surely
@Jack Strong: there’s no way maher will mark o shea or keegan. He’s way too slow. He’ll be on parsons I’d say.
@Seán O’Sullivan: Jesus anyone can have an off day. Sure the Galway corner back literally played JOD off the field in the QF….should we hand him the all star now and hail him the next Mark O’Se???
@Seán O’Sullivan: Parsons is the quicker of the two so Maher has to pick up one of them. Mayo will play a 3 man midfield with Aidan flirting between there and the 45 because it’s Kerry’s weakest line.
@Jack Strong: Technically Cafferkey is one of the best around, might just be a little bit too slow. But in terms of getting his hand in and technique, he’s very very good.
@Daragh O’Brien: agree Darragh. He’s been left exposed in the past by tactics more than anything else. He’s a quality player and former all star. There’s no better full back on that Mayo panel unfortunately. He probably didn’t get a great chance to get match sharp coming back from injury and was poor against Cork. I’d personally like to see him in there to make amends for Kerry 2014. I know he would be raring for that.
@Daragh O’Brien: Cafferkey has been roasted alive all year, he was simply woeful in Salthill and against Ros. Solid in his day but that day has definitely gone, he’s lost the legs since the injury last year.
@Tomás Ó Tiocair: an off day because Barry was there
@Seán O’Sullivan: Fenton is streets ahead of Barry but you keep on telling yourself otherwise. #deluded
“Good old St Lee. Never breaks the rules. No pulling, dragging, punching”. Says everyone from Mayo. But nobody else.
@Thomas McGilly: he’s easier defend than a fella with a criminal conviction in any case.
@Thomas McGilly: there’s a reason he saw red in 14 and black in 16.
@Jack Strong: Good man Jack. Whatabouttery from the get go.
@Seán O’Sullivan: Keegan was sent off for a nothing offence in 14. Walsh was pathetic with his carry on that day. Enright was the only one who deserved to see the line that day and the outcome would have been very different.
@Thomas McGilly: I wonder who’s jersey he’ll be asking for during the game when he’s trying to rip it off his shoulders.
@Dave Murray: Ah St. Lee doesn’t do such things. He is, as Ellis Boyd Redding would say, “Cleaner than a virgin’s honey potter”.
From a Galway man have a feeling mayo will edge this,there hungry for blood and out for the kill had to bring Vaughan in ,I said after Galway beat them was best thing to happen to them and put money on them to be there year ,prob be game of the season ,can’t wait to see the midfield battle and if Kerry can stop mayos runners and if mayo can stop supply to the full forward line,very intrigued indeed
Its hard to see anything other than a comfortable win for kerry, but to have any chance ,Mayo will have to make sure they stay in this game early on, and if so after forthy mins it might be an interesting finish.
Great team Cmon Mayo
I think colm the gooch cooper is gonna have a field day against this mayo defence. Not 1 of them will stop him
Yeah… he’ll have a great game in the studio.