AGAINST WALES last night, Irish fans got a glimpse of the team’s future.

In recent times, the experienced likes of Katie McCabe, Denise O’Sullivan and Louise Quinn have tended to have a virtual monopoly on player-of-the-match awards.

However, with Quinn and O’Sullivan both absent from the starting XI and McCabe having to go off injured, there was more of an onus on the younger squad members to perform.

And this time, Jess Ziu won the player-of-the-match award amid the disappointing loss.

It was an impressive display from the 21-year-old, particularly given that she has only recently returned following a 17-month absence from the Irish set-up after suffering an ACL injury in October 2022.

After a lively display in which she displayed no shortage of pace, skill and courage — consistently trying to take opponents on — Ziu told reporters that she was delighted to complete 90 minutes for the first time since the injury.

“It doesn’t feel like I’ve not played 90 minutes [for a long time]. It does feel like I’ve played a few games already. I mean the first two games at West Ham, I was cramping in the 40th minute so it feels good to get past that hurdle.” 

And Ziu was not the only youngster to impress for Eileen Gleeson’s side.

Emily Murphy came on in the second half to make her debut.

Although it was a frustrating night, the 20-year-old forward was part of a better display from the hosts.

Ireland had more of an attacking threat and defensive solidity after the break, as Murphy and Kyra Carusa replaced Leanne Kiernan and Amber Barrett, while Quinn was also introduced after Diane Caldwell picked up a knock towards the end of the first half.

The improvement wasn’t just down to personnel but a switch of systems. Having begun with a 4-3-3, Ireland changed to a three-woman backline, with Megan Connolly dropping back from midfield alongside Quinn and Caitlin Hayes. It allowed McCabe and Heather Payne to occupy more attacking wing-back roles while Ziu moved from the wing to the number 10 position behind Murphy and Carusa.

Ziu was happy to make the switch, particularly because it required “a lot less running”.

The player, who was winning her 14th cap, added: “I’m quite a runner and I’ll chase all day but being in that 10 in the little tight spaces, picking up the ball, turning, I think that’s a bit more me. If Eileen and the staff need me on the wing, right back, centre mid, striker — I can play all of them.”

Murphy also enjoyed making her international bow, describing the experience as “something I’ve dreamed of for a long time”.

While still only 20, in a sense, an Ireland debut was a long time coming.

Murphy was initially invited to train with the squad during the home friendly with Denmark in April 2021 and also travelled for the away game against Belgium in that same international window. Yet this month was her first official call-up.

Born in Berkshire, Murphy’s Irish connection is through her father Jonathan from Rathfarnham in Dublin, while her late grandfather hails from Westport, County Mayo.

Growing up, Murphy would spend holidays in Westport with her two younger sisters, while her father was a keen rugby and Gaelic football player.

“He ended up, when he met my mum, to continue playing for Ealing in London,” she says.

“The football? I don’t know. He always wanted me to play rugby. I played both when I was a kid — up to the point where I had to decide because I couldn’t do both anymore. I enjoyed football more and I’d always watched more football growing up as a kid, despite going to his games every Sunday. He wasn’t overly happy with the decision, but he supported me nonetheless.”

The girlhood Leinster Rugby and Manchester United fan also acknowledges it was not a straightforward decision to declare for Ireland.

Capped by England at underage level, Murphy was reluctant to throw her name in the hat just after the team qualified for the World Cup in 2022.

“I didn’t think it was fair on the girls who’d worked hard to qualify Ireland for the tournament,” she says.

“It was enticing and while I sat home and supported every game, it wasn’t something I planned to be involved in because I wanted to prove myself.

“I wasn’t ready to make the decision myself. I still had two and half years left at college but once I got my graduation date, I was ready. And Eileen called me and had faith in me.”

Murphy made a handful of appearances at Chelsea and on loan with Birmingham City as a youngster — playing alongside fellow Irish footballers Ruesha Littlejohn and Harriet Scott there — before moving to Wake Forest University in North Carolina.

The young attacker hopes to move closer to home after completing a degree in political science and global studies in December.

“There are loads of different things that I’ve added to my game [in the US]. I’ve been out there for just under three years.

“The fitness and the physical elements over there are much different but I still believe the technical and tactical level is there.

“But I want to be home with a lot of these girls and build these relationships where I can.”