REPUBLIC OF IRELAND’S Denise O’Sullivan, Katie McCabe and Grace Moloney have been named in the Women’s Super League [WSL] team of the week.
O’Sullivan, who has impressed since her loan move from North Carolina Courage to the English top-flight this season, represents Brighton in midfield in the selection.
McCabe gets the nod on the wing after scoring a stunning free-kick for Arsenal in their win over Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, while Moloney takes up the goalkeeper position for Reading.
The news is a timely boost for Ireland ahead of their crunch Euro qualifier against Ukraine on Friday, where Vera Pauw’s charges will hope to take a big step towards securing qualification for a first-ever major tournament.
Another positive result will guarantee Ireland a minimum of a play-off in their quest to reach the Euros, which has been postponed to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ireland previously clashed with Ukraine in October of last year, where they recorded a 3-2 victory. It was also Pauw’s first game in charge of the Girls In Green.
Captain McCabe and O’Sullivan are both experienced starters for Ireland, while Moloney is among Pauw’s selection of goalkeepers in the squad.
First-choice keeper Marie Hourihan has been ruled out of the Ukraine game due to a dislocated finger, although she is likely to be replaced by West Ham’s Courtney Brosnan between the sticks.
Kick-off for Ireland’s Euro qualifier against Ukraine this Friday is at 5pm and will be shown live on RTÉ 2.
Your #BarclaysFAWSL Team of the Week! 🥳
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) October 21, 2020
Chosen by @Sio_Chamberlain 📝 pic.twitter.com/1Pf0OktUmQ
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Put this in another article, but prob more suited here. Franco Smith of Glasgow won URC coach of the year. Friend would have been my pick. Remember when I first said that some said it should be Leo with only one loss in league, not sure if they feel the same way anymore. For Glasgow run to Challange cup final was good, but its URC Coach of the season so that competition doesn’t count in the reckoning. In URC Smith made playoffs and lost at home to Munster in Quarterfinal. For me Friend took Connacht with less resources than Glasgow and a more difficult fixture list, to the playoffs. Connacht were not expected to make playoffs, and made it and HCup, and won an away playoff meaning the went better than Glasgow. Connacht really overachieved this season, Glasgow did about as expected.
@Kingshu: agree 100%
@Kingshu: Would have Friend ahead of him also. Can make an argument for Rowntree also; first season, awful start, Munster playing a better style of rugby, took down 2 long running home winning streaks and are in the final.
Bit pointless to be comparing to last season when there were still some restrictions om attendances in some of the countries.
@0UWMNglt: seems like a nonsense stat alright
I hope the 5000 munster fans get to bring the league home. ( so it won’t have far to travel next season when win it back)
The Welsh clubs are so far behind. Have they ever reached 12,000 at any game? What has to be looked at is attendances at Welsh games. If the show grounds in Galway were enlarged there would be better crowds there.
Would like to see a breakdown per union home games – Ireland, Wales, Italy, South Africa, Scotland etc. You’d have to assume the Welsh regions would have quite a low average attendance. In addition, the SA home games I have seen appear to have very low attendances. Would love to see the non knockout games in SA have greater spectatorship in the stadiums. I remember watching Super rugby back in the early 00s, the fan base in South Africa was off the charts. Bulls, Sharks, Stormers ans The Cats all hvd hihe crowds at games. Was also lucky enough to get to a few fakes down in SA in 10/11 at Newlands. Full house everytime. Place was electric. May take a few years for the SA home base to commit to the URC.
@Steve Mccarthy: apologies for typos. Thumbs like big toes
@Steve Mccarthy: on wiki, its has each clubs average URC attendance.
There was 41,000 for judgement 2023 in the mileneum. Not to shabby. Double header. Lots or rugby fans in Wales, a good portion don’t follow the weslsh regions
@Paul Cassidy: South Africa could say the same. Huge rugby following there, just a lot follow more locally than the URC it would seem. I get it, it’s a huge country, imagine getting flights to follow your “home” team.