On what has been a difficult week in Ireland football, Eileen Gleeson’s side get their Euro 2025 qualification back underway in a sold out Carrow Road this evening.
This has been a very challenging campaign for Ireland in Group A4 as they prepare to face two of the world’s top three in their final qualifiers before the play-offs later this year. England tonight and France in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Tuesday night.
Ireland are looking to secure the final seeded play-off place and avoid a wooden spoon while England are chasing a top-two spot and automatic qualification for Switzerland 2025.
Kick-off is at 8pm.
Ireland have just announced their starting 11 for tonight.
Niamh Fahey, Anna Patten, Denise O’Sullivan and Amber Barrett all come in to replace Louise Quinn, Megan Connolly, Leanne Kiernan, Kyra Carusa (injured) and Katie McCabe (suspended)
Eileen Gleeson rings the changes for England.
— Emma Duffy (@emmaduffy_) July 12, 2024
IN: Fahey, Patten, O'Sullivan, Murphy, Barrett.
OUT: Louise Quinn, Connolly, Kiernan, Carusa (injured) and McCabe (suspended). https://t.co/IlbQx7sv7F
Kick-Off! England v Republic of Ireland
1 min: England 0-0 Ireland
Full team line-ups here
England: Hannah Hampton; Maya Le Tissier, Leah Williamson, Jess Carter, Alex Greenwood; Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh, Jess Park; Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp, Beth Mead.
Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Aoife Mannion, Caitlin Hayes, Niamh Fahey, Anna Patten; Jess Ziu, Ruesha Littlejohn, Lily Agg, Emily Murphy; Denise O’Sullivan; Amber Barrett.
2 mins: England 0-0 Ireland
It’s a misty evening in Norwich as England create the first meaningful attack into Ireland territory. Caitlin Hayes clears the ball briefly but England come back in.
3 mins: England 0-0 Ireland
Aoife Mannion intercepts a ball in. The move ends in a throw-in for England as Lily Agg fails to keep it in play.
GOAL! England 1-0 Ireland (Alessia Russo ’4)
5 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
That’s certainly not the start Ireland wanted as Alessia Russo slips in behind the Ireland line, takes the ball around Courtney Brosnan and pokes the ball home to put the hosts ahead.
7 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Better from Ireland as Amber Barrett takes Ireland’s first shot at goal. It’s not a powerful enough effort to trouble the keeper but it’s more encouraging from the visitors as Mannion and Agg both contribute to working the ball up the field.
10 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
England put Ireland under pressure again as Brosnan is called into action. But the referee had already blown the whistle for a handball by Russo.
Mannion then does well to disrupt an England attack, as does Denise O’Sullivan.
12 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Vital interception by Niamh Fahey as England win the ball back. England come pressing again but Fahey is alert once more to slide in and cut the ball out.
14 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Beth Mead takes a shot at the top corner but it’s rising all time and takes a deflection to go out for a corner. Ireland struggle to clear the ball as Fahey tries to take the ball out of danger.
England win it back and forces two saves from Brosnan. The first from Lauren Hemp and the second from Russo.
16 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Another big save from Mead as she tries to fire the ball home with a powerful shot from short range.
17 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Jess Park carries the ball brilliantly through the middle. Sends the ball out wide to Maya Le Tissier who whips the ball invitingly. The target is Russo but the ball flies over her.
There’s a break in play as the players get water on.
21 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Good work from Mannion and Emily Murphy to apply pressure and win the ball back off Alex Greenwood. Murphy tries to cut the ball across but England keeper Hannah Hampton collects the ball with ease.
22 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Park loses the ball. Ireland pounce on the counter through O’Sullivan. The ball comes to Murphy but she fails to get the final pass off and England resume control.
24 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
More promising play again to feed possession to Barrett but again it’s the final pass that lets them down. Ireland seem a bit more settled on the ball.
27 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
England start slowing the play down after those encouraging passages from Ireland.
29 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Mannion tries to link up with Murphy but she has too much pace behind her and she brings the ball out of play. O’Sullivan then comes in with some aggression on Georgia Stanway who looks at the referee hoping for a free but it doesn’t come.
30 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
England launch a swift counter attack that comes to the feet of Russo. Ireland get bodies back and it’s crowded in the box but Ireland clear the danger.
Another England attack follows as Jess Carter tries to send in a dangerous cross. But Brosnan is well positioned and catches the ball safely.
32 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Another good passage from Ireland as O’Sullivan tries to find Murphy in the penalty area. They’re still missing the final product but Ireland have muscled their way into this tie.
35 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
O’Sullivan taps the ball to Ruesha Littlejohn who sends the ball across to Mannion along the sideline. Ireland string a necklace of passes together and look comfortable on the ball.
O’Sullivan pops up again to take the ball in the pocket and tries to link up with Barrett. But England put a stop to it and reclaim possession.
37 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Nervy moment for England keeper Hampton as she almost gifts possession to Barrett and O’Sullivan. England pounce quickly to put Russo through. But Caitlin Hayes puts enough pressure on Hemp to give Brosnan time to get down on the ball.
38 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
5' - GOAL ENGLAND
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 12, 2024
🏴1-0🇮🇪
Russo rounds Brosnan and strokes the ball home - the hosts have an early lead at Carrow Road #RTESport
📱Updates: https://t.co/jFJfThrIBg
📺Watch: https://t.co/b2OI4OoWVJ pic.twitter.com/EJ0V7qirLw
40 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Patten puts the ball out wide to Barrett who catches the ball off Greenwood’s leg as she tries to cut through. The ball trickles out for a corner which Littlejohn takes.
Hampton gets her fist to it, but the referee blows the whistle anyway for a challenge on the England keeper.
41 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
O’Sullivan runs in to put England under pressure, and she inspires and brilliant press from Ireland to push England back. They sneak out though and get the ball down as far as Carter. A cross is sent in to the direction of Hemp but Jess Ziu does well to snuff out the attack.
44 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Brilliant pass from Hayes out to Mannion but it comes to nothing and again, England try to punish with a quick counter that comes to Russo. Ireland get the bodies back though to kill the threat.
45 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Ireland have another chance to create something as one minute of added time is announced.
Half-Time! England 1-0 Ireland
England 1-0 Ireland
So after conceding an early goal from Alessia Russo, Ireland have responded quite well and look a lot more comfortable on the ball. They’ve caused a few nervy moments for the hosts throughout the rest of the half, and should be feeling encouraged by that effort at the break.
Second Half: England 1-0 Ireland
45 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Ireland changes: Leanne Kiernan and Jullie Ann Russell on for Emily Murphy and Amber Barrett.
England changes: Niamh Charles and Millie Bright come in for Jess Carter and Leah Williamson.
48 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Early chance for England as Georgia Stanway tries to get on ball in the Ireland box. But her effort is blocked out. Hemp then tries to jump on a loose pass to create another chance but Ireland manage to survive.
49 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
O’Sullivan does well to maintain control of the ball as Ireland play it back as far as Brosnan. Hemp closes in to keep her honest but she gets the ball out.
Mead accidentally collides with the advertising board and stays down momentarily but she’s back up after some treatment.
52 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Park tries to slip the ball across the Ireland box to Russo but the pass just evades her as Patten stays close to Russo all the time.
54 mins: England 1-0 Ireland
Good interplay between Fahey and Patten with some nice touches on the ball. The move comes into the path of Agg but England won’t allow her to keep hold of it. England are now holding possession in their own half.
PENALTY TO ENGLAND!
GOAL! England 2-0 Ireland (Stanway ’56)
58 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Stanway fires the ball into the right corner after Fahey committed the foul on Hemp, but really, she had no choice. Ireland put themselves under too much pressure with the ball and brought possession too close to goal while Brosnan was off her line. Hemp nicked the ball away from Fahey who had to bring her down.
59 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
That’s a really disappointing goal for Ireland to concede after such good stretches of play. Mannion gets the ball deep in England territory but she’s penalised for a foul and England get the chance to build again.
England change: Chloe Kelly comes in for Beth Mead.
61 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Hayes comes in hard on Kelly to get up for a header. Ireland have a free now, and it looks like Littlejohn and Ziu are going to play it short and try to set something up.
63 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
They do just that and the ball falls to Russell who has no time to do anything with the ball as England shirts converge on her.
64 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Littlejohn does well to read an England pass and Ireland win possession back. They send it up as far as Russell but the flag goes up.
65 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
57' - GOAL ENGLAND
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 12, 2024
🏴2-0🇮🇪
Stanway coolly slots home the penalty after Fahey pulled back Hemp #RTESport
📱Updates: https://t.co/jFJfThrIBg
📺Watch: https://t.co/b2OI4OoWVJ pic.twitter.com/n4PYcRLvKd
66 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Ireland change: Megan Campbell replaces Ruesha Littlejohn.
67 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Hayes does well to head the ball away from a chip across. Patten then gets in good interception to keep England back.
69 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Jess Park unleashes a shot at Brosnan, but the Ireland keeper is behind it all the time and gathers it without any fuss.
England change: Russo comes off Jessica Naz.
70 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Play is stopped following a nasty collision between Kiernan and Le Tissier.
74 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Almost another calamity for Ireland there as Brosnan gets caught in possession. A dangerous cross in and Ireland are lucky to come away with the ball.
75 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
A shot for O’Sullivan but the effort is blocked as soon as it leaves her foot.
76 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
The ball is sent in to England who gets a header off but it’s an easy collection for Brosnan and Campbell was minding the house too.
79 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Campbell and O’Sullivan knocked the ball about before feeding it back to Hayes. It’s good interplay that results in an Irish throw. Campbell then tries a dink ball over the top to put Russell through.
But it’s just slightly overcooked and the ball bounces to Hampton.
81 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Corner for Ireland and Campbell jogs over to take it. She slings it in off her left and it’s a good cross but it’s palmed away to O’Sullivan who tries a shot that doesn’t have the power to trouble the English defence.
Bright eventually sends it clear with a big header.
81 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Hayes does well to keep pace with the quick footed Naz and gets in a challenge to force the ball out for a corner.
82 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Good touch from Russell to win the ball back for Ireland as the visitors get a free. An Ireland throw is awarded and it’s time for a Campbell special.
84 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Flag goes up for an offside on Ireland. Denise O’Sullivan gets the RTÉ Player of the Match.
86 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
England corner which Kelly comes over to take. She plays it short to Park and then gets a hefty challenge but the referee plays on.
A dangerous comes in which Hayes fails to deal with. Campbell eventually boots it out after the ball comes off Charles’s head.
87 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
Ireland change: Louise Quinn is on for Fahey.
England change: Aggie Beever-Jones replaces Hemp.
89 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
MISS!
Chloe Kelly tries to hit it in first time after a beautiful cross from Charles. She tried to hook it into the net but it’s off target as we enter four minutes of injury time.
92 mins: England 2-0 Ireland
O’Sullivan puts her boot out to dispossess England. Leanne Kiernan then tries to run with the ball but Greenwood slides in to push the ball out for a corner.
GOAL! England 2-1 Ireland (Russell ’94)
