AMBER BARRETT GETS the credit as the goalscoring hero, but Courtney Brosnan’s penalty save ultimately set Ireland on their way to their first World Cup.
Brosnan denied Scotland captain Caroline Weir early on in their play-off at Hampden Park two years ago, and Ireland’s number one is ready to step up again to secure historic Euro 2025 qualification.
Wales are the opposition for the two-legged showdown — in Cardiff on Friday and the Aviva Stadium next Tuesday — where the winner progresses to their first European Championship finals.
Everton star Brosnan is uncertain on her penalty record overall, but knows she has “definitely saved a few”. She stopped three in a League Cup shootout last month to inspire the Toffees to victory, while other one-off spot kicks spring to mind.
“Obviously the Scotland game is a big occasion so that’s the one that gets remembered,” Brosnan, who was recently named FAI and PFAI Senior Women’s International Player of the Year, says. “I had a few in the league last year, one against [Manchester City star] Bunny Shaw I think.”
One thing she is certain on is her pre-penalty mindset and routine. It’s nailed down to a fine art. “Usually now, it takes a while for the decision to be given or for whoever is getting the ball to get ready, so I take that chance to go over, get some water and get my thoughts together.
“Typically, I’ve already watched some clips or been given some information about who is most likely to take the penalty, what their favourite side is and stuff. So I have a think about it and then I have a little bit of a routine with touching the crossbar, walking along the line and getting myself ready for that moment.
“I see the kicker line up and kind of just go off gut instinct and a bit of how they are lining up, and the data and information you’ve been given.”
The 29-year-old was “100% in the moment” at Hampden, she recalls, not overwhelmed by the occasion or its impact.
“For me personally, you don’t realise until after the game is over, until after you’ve qualified that that just happened. You make a save in the game or you make a penalty save in the game, you’re like, ‘Well that feels nice’, but you’re like, ‘Okay we’re only 20 minutes into the game or whatever it is, we still have this amount of time to go’.
“As a goalkeeper I’ve always been taught you have to focus on the task and what you’re doing in that moment so I think I see the game broken down into little moments and little tasks that I have to do. You’re not really thinking too far in advance. You’re trying to focus on what you’re doing to obviously accomplish the goal.”
Brosnan, and Ireland, certainly did that on that fateful night in Glasgow. Speaking this morning, she wouldn’t be drawn on this shot at unblemished qualification after the Celtic Symphony fallout somewhat overshadowed their past achievement. “The full focus is not on outside noise or whatever happened, it’s just focusing on qualifying for the Euros,” she insisted.
The US-born ‘keeper highlighted “the progress we’ve continued to make” and urged Ireland to ensure they are not one-hit wonders in terms of qualifying for major tournaments.
The Girls In Green want to back up their Australia 2023 appearance, and Slaying The Dragon over the next 10 days will guarantee as much.
“Obviously you have a big occasion like qualifying for your first World Cup but I feel something I and the whole team has talked about is, we don’t just want that one thing. There’s still more to be done and everyone has their eyes forward and foot on the gas.
“You don’t want to be the team that just qualifies for one major tournament, I don’t think anyone wants that. You want to be doing that consistently. So there is always that thing where you are continuing to push forward and continuing to write history, write stories into your legacy.
“It’s so important for us to be role models for the younger generation, leave the game better than we found it and set up that generation to have things that maybe we didn’t have when we started playing.”
“Everyone knew it was going to come down to a play-off so that is something we’ve been prepared for and something we’ve experienced before,” in-form Brosnan added.
“It’s a massive game and everyone knows coming into camp how important it is. But that is exciting because that is the stuff that you dream of when you start playing football professionally and internationally.”
Eileen Gleeson’s squad reconvened at their Dublin base last night, with Aoife Mannion still an injury doubt. The FAI have announced that over 20,000 tickets have been sold for next Tuesday’s second leg at the Aviva.
Cannot wait for this.
watching this in Tenerife on Sunday can’t wait COYBIB
Cian o Sullivan won’t start Sunday.
Looking forward to it, should be a great game
Great looking bench !!! …would be nice if full team plus subs could parade ….it’s a 15 plus subs game nowadays
Come on the DUBS!
Still 31 against 1. That’s cool! We Dubs are invincible!
Hope the traffic wasn’t too bad for you heading home for the weekend!
Please park responsibly when you come to Dublin for the All-Ireland! You ain’t at home, we’ll clamp your a$$!
Come on you Boys in Blue
johnny cooper to be booked within first 20 mins then taken off in second half to avoid being sent off
Think Michael Fitzsimons is unlucky not to start, he may not be the most naturally gifted player, but he is the one Dub that can keep Gooch out of the game with his exceptional marking ability.
Not deserving of an all Ireland win..Kerry to show their greatness
Why are they not deserving of an All Ireland win?
How they disgraced themselves against Mayo
If you remember both teams disgraced themselves in the drawn game ! In the replay the game was played in the spirit of the sport and the dubs came out on top ! Jealous and petty dub bashers
One of the top 2 teams in the country. Anyone that tries to say they’re not deserving of an All Ireland based on one game where BOTH teams were far from behaving like choir boys is talking waffle. As for the original comment, you’re from Tralee, that answers my question.
Brian are you deserving of your mot
I cant wait till sunday.hopefully quieten these fellas for a decade. #sammightaswellhavestayedathome #hopehegotareturnticket
Winning on Sunday will quieten us for a decade? Haha ok then! Oh and save the hashtags for Twitter.
#we’llsee #superiormidfield #superiorforwards #whatstheoddsofconnollylastingthegame #mustbesomethinginthewater #surewe’lltakethemarkhamcupalso
You uninteresting bore.
Never met an interesting one to be honest.
Well Bernard! Hope you got to put your feet up on the empty seat booked for Sam’s return trip home?? I think those ‘superior forwards’ of yours must have left their kicking boots at home! Brian, what happened to this greatness Kerry we’re going to show us?!?!
Kerry for your holliers Dublin for the Sam! Wan the Dubs!!!!!!!
Two players from the South side, yeah lets split the county in two.
3 actually
3 actually, o carroll, o Sullivan and Bastick.
Thumbs up there Eamo
Macauley , McManamon,Byrne .Ó Conghaile and Fitzsimons as well
3 from south side clubs which is how it would be divided I presume.
Kind of goes to show what a stupid idea it would be.
And one from Meath
We’ve actually annexed Meath so your comment is null and void.
We’d love an all-Ireland….all Ireland would hate that…..C.O.Y.B.I.B.
We’ll be marching down from Ringsend,
And from Ballyfermot too.
From Eastwall and Marino,
To support the boys in Blue.
For 2 long years we’ve waited
and there’s nothing left to prove
So lets here it now from Dublin
Gavin’s army’s on the loose.
The Jacks are back!
Not much of a march from eastwall to Marino.
Will be interesting to see if O’Sullivan starts. If he’s not fully fit don’t start him, not worth using a sub earlier than planned because he’s not fully fit. Fingers crossed he’s ready and able!
He is starting Aideen
No, he’s named to start. Whether he starts on the day is a whole other story. Team sheets can change on the day.
Aideen the only way you can start an individual in the GAA with questions over fitness is from the start. There is no other way. If he has to be subbed so be it, but if you don’t start him, bring him on as a sub and he has to come off again, your down another sub.
Fair point! I should have worded that ‘if he’s not fit don’t play him’.
That depends on the nature of the injury to be fair, it’s a blow if he’s skinned and gone after 10 mins but if he has an hour of football in him it’s worth a shot.
But there’s no way of knowing if he has an hour of football in him till you put him out there and hope. I can’t imagine he’s been able to prove himself by running rings around everyone in training, it’s only been 12 days – it’s all about deciding whether it’s worth the risk I suppose!
Two superb teams.losing Marc and Paul murphy massive body blows for us but IN FITZ WE TRUST.. CIARRAI ABU
IMO McAuley should be starting
both defences to be in bother! kerrys better forwards to shade it In my view
It will be a game of bench warfare very tight to call. whoever gets the most impact from the bench will win hope its the dubs . . . COYBIB
Kerry hoping to give Dublin a game.
Unusual to hear Kerry given a hope, ye must be rattled!
Do the business, Dean Rock
Michael dara is goin to start for certain
I wouldn’t be so sure. Bastick is better at playing the holding role and generally a bit better defensively than Michael dara. McCauley could be the winning of it if it’s still tight in the last 20 mins if he comes on fresh. At his best he’s a nightmare to play against and would give Dublin a huge lift and Kerry won’t love seeing him come on fresh if the game is still in the melting pot
Come on the dubs!!!!!!!!!
Yerra, hopefully we’ll keep it close in the first half, and shur we’d be delighted to come within ten points.
gavin has never started the 15 he picked on friday he’s fooling nobody
Osullivan done his hammer less than two weeks ago he can’t possibly play on it , he’s gonna make it worse and miss the club championship doubt hel be risked but if so start him and see how long he lasts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4VTn2PCxn8&sns=em
Michael Donnellan of Galway would walk onto that team