THE IRELAND WOMEN’S team’s hopes of qualification for Euro 2017 have all but ended following a heavy defeat at the hands of Finland in Valkeakoski this afternoon.
Sue Ronan’s side went down 4-1 to the hosts to make it four losses from their six qualifying games and sees their opponents open a six-point gap in the race for second.
Ronan’s charges needed to claim the win today to give themselves a chance of reeling in Finland as they trailed them by three points having played a game more and were also sitting on a significantly inferior goal difference.
With Group 2 leaders Spain streets ahead on 18 points, after six wins from six outings, Ireland’s only chance of qualification was with a second-placed finish.
But now, with just two qualifiers remaining, and Finland six points ahead and boasting a goal difference 13 strikes better than Ireland’s, Ronan’s side can wave goodbye to any hopes of playing finals football in the Netherlands next year.
Ronan made two changes to her side from the starting XI that lined up in their 3-0 defeat to Spain in Madrid last time out with Megan Connolly and Sophie Perry coming in for Stephanie Roche and Karen Duggan.
A Finland surge just before half time took the wind out of the Irish sails and they never recovered.
First, the superb Emmi Alanen put the hosts ahead with a close-range header on 32 minutes. And just eight minutes later, Jenny Danielsson doubled Finland’s lead with a tidy volley to heap misery on the Irish women.
Connolly had a couple of decent first-half chances but she failed to make the most of them, and Ireland had it all to do in the second half.
To their credit, they started the second half with plenty of gusto going forward. But as they pushed on in search of a goal, their defensive frailties were often exposed.
And on 70 minutes they were punished after some good work down the right wing by the Finnish women, Natalia Kuikka eventually tapping the ball home.
Roche then pulled one back on 76 minutes, just four minutes after being introduced as a substitute, as Ireland looked to mount a late, unlikely comeback.
But any hopes of a miracle recovery were eventually thwarted when Linda Sallstrom made it 4-1 with just three minutes of normal time remaining.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
Interesting how everyone writing shamrocks off, all Ireland champs 2 years ago and beaten semi finalists last year. In the year they won it, beat na piarsaigh in the semi so I think they will fancy their chances. Saying that, would love to see na piarsaigh win it
Two very evenly matched semi finals. I’d love to see a Na Piarsaigh v MLR final. Think Na Piarsaigh will win it. Anyone but Portumna. A team who doesn’t have to qualify from its province doesn’t deserve an All Ireland title. Na Piarsaigh and MLR would be more than deserving of winning it considering who they had to beat to get to the semi.
Yeah they only have to qualify out of most competitive county in the country where many of the All Ireland Club Champions have come last 10 years.
Doesn’t matter who they have to beat in the Galway championship. I’m talking about Galway clubs in general.
The exact reason why Galway clubs have a good track record in it is because they walk in to the All Ireland semi finals every year.
Same as minors getting straight through to quarter finals and U21′s getting straight through to All Ireland semi. They all pick up some handy titles and then wonder why the Galway senior team is not successful.
Simple, they have less teams to beat to win All Irelands at every level except senior and they win them at all levels except senior!!!
Sour grapes mike. Portumna one of the best club sides of all time. Going by your logic no team from Galway should be allowed enter the competition.
When portumna were at their best , they would give any of the top team’s in the country a game.
I have nothing to be sour about. Portumna mean nothing to me. I see and hear Galway people moan about their senior team not being able to win anything but they rub their hands with glee when they walk in to the latter stages of most other competitions. It’s more than a coincidence that Galway can win titles at all levels except senior. They have too easy a route in all bar the senior. Galway won’t win a senior All Ireland until they wake up to that fact. They want the senior team in Leinster but are more than happy to have every other grade team and club not as they are winning things. Why don’t they look at the possibility of moving all teams in to Leinster so they can actually see what they are worth and not just be handed byes the whole time while every other team and club have to get through several matches to get to the same stage.
The Galway clubs have to beat provincial and county champs to win an All Ireland Mike, same goes for their minors and U21s, nothing handy about that.
You sound pretty sour to me.
Portumna will win it
Portumna won their titles Mike Neil because they were the best team, to say otherwise is just bloody sour grapes.Same goes for all the clubs who won the All Ireland.
I will be shouting for Portumna but think Na Piarsigh will win out, they have more scoring forwards than anyone else.
It’s not portumna’s fault they go straight into semis. It’s theirs to lose now, should be a handy all-ireland for them now. Although this is a year full of surprises.
Only a fool would write off the Rangers. Have seen off 2 favourites already and didn’t even play well against Outlart.
I know they will still be the underdogs, but they will wear that badge with pride!!!!
Loughgiel shamrocks be very hard to beat they R a good team winning 4 county titles and 4 ustler titles and all Ireland in the last 4 years what more can I say
think you’ll find Eamon that Loughgiel have as good a six forwards as any of the teams left.will take a damned good performance to beat them much better than anything I’ve witnessed on TG4 to date..
I disagree Denis.I have seen Shamrocks 3 times in the last 2 years , they are a fine side but they don’t have forwards of the calibre of Canning, Hayes, Dowling, Hannon or Downes.
Hannon plays for Adare not Na Piarsaigh.
Fair bad support for loughgeil. A club that has been there and done it plus has one of the best hurlers in the country. Would love to see them prove a lot of people wrong again. From a tipp man
As a Birr man, having seen how these All-Ireland’s are won, it’s about getting the most from your forwards. One of the reasons KK did well last year was Slevin the free taker. Similarly Loughgiel have a great full forward, whose name escapes me. Na Piarsaigh have serious forwards and of course Portumna have Joe Canning & Damien Hayes, plus their experience. It’s hard to see past Portumna. Fair play to MLR though – inspirational stuff!