IRELAND BOSS Eileen Gleeson was satisfied with tonight’s 3-0 win over Georgia and is expecting a tough test next month when Ireland face Wales in the second round of the playoffs.

Gleeson acknowledged the visitors made it difficult this evening as Ireland could not emulate last week’s comprehensive 6-0 first-leg victory.

“They closed us down, and we closed down our own spaces a little bit. But overall, very happy,” she said.

“On our way to the finals, no yellow cards which was a bit of a talking point so we’ve a full squad available.”

The manager suggested the upcoming encounter — the first leg will be in Cardiff on 29 November with the second leg at the Aviva Stadium on 3 December — will be far less straightforward, with not much between the teams.

“Wales next month, exciting, similar profile to ourselves in terms of the make-up of the team, the level the players play at, key players, a big game coming up.”

Ireland have already played Wales once this year, losing 2-0 in a friendly last February. But Gleeson is not reading too much into this result.

“I think they are the same team that we played them last, we’ll be a different team than when we played them last, you know came in on the back of playing against Italy, we’d players missing. We’re positive, I think it will be very tight and we’re very excited about it. 

“We were disappointed, we didn’t want to lose, but we didn’t lose perspective on it. It was a second game, a friendly, we played a different starting XI, we had some of our senior players missing, and we played some of the younger players. It was a learning experience, it stands to us now coming into the playoffs.” 

And who does she see as Wales’ biggest threat?

“I would say they are a similar level to ourselves, good forwards [Jess] Fishlock, good midfielders like [Ceri] Holland, same as us, culturally very passionate.

“I think it will be a really good battle, it’s about both squads keeping players fit and available.”