Amber Barrett celebrates scoring Ireland's World Cup play-off goal as she gestures to the black armband worn in memory of those affected by the tragedy in Creeslough. Ryan Byrne/INPHO
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From frozen pitch in Iceland to history at Hampden - Ireland's play-off record
This is the third time the Girls In Green’s qualification bids have reached the play-off stages.
The Republic of Ireland women’s national team are contesting play-offs for the third time.
They comfortably overcame Georgia over two legs in the first round, and now face a decisive double-header against Wales. The winners qualify for Euro 2025.
Ireland’s first play-off appearance ended in defeat as Iceland beat them to Euro 2009.
Their next time they edged out Scotland to reach their first-ever major tournament, the 2023 World Cup.
Now, Eileen Gleeson’s side aim to reach their second — and maiden Euros next summer. The first leg is at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday, 29 November, before the return showdown at Aviva Stadium the following Tuesday, 3 December.
A ticket to Switzerland 2025 would be the perfect Christmas present.
Here, we take a look back at Ireland’s play-off history.
Euro 2009 play-off
Iceland 4-1 Ireland (on aggregate)
Ireland progressed to their first-ever play-off after finishing third in their qualifying group, behind Sweden and Italy and ahead of Romania and Hungary. Noel King’s side were pitted against Iceland, ranked 10 places above them in the Fifa World Rankings, and a tricky two-legged tie awaited.
Only one member of the current squad to face Wales was involved, Niamh Fahey. Louise Quinn also played, but she is ruled out of the upcoming double-header through injury. Goalkeeping coach Emma Byrne was between the posts, while there were a host of other familiar faces like Áine O’Gorman, Stephanie Zambra (Roche) and Olivia O’Toole. A certain Katie Taylor starred in qualifying, but wasn’t in the final play-off squad as boxing took over.
King billed the play-off as “a massive occasion for the women’s game but also for Irish football as a whole,” likening it to the men’s 2002 World Cup play-off win over Iran.
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Richmond Park in Inchicore played host. Disaster struck just 25 seconds in as Iceland hit the front through Hólmfríður Magnúsdóttir. Ireland settled and created some chances of their own, but their Icelandic visitors heaped on the pressure and continually threatened.
Stephanie Curtis proved Ireland’s goal-scoring hero in the 63rd minute, salvaging a draw and keeping the Euro dream alive ahead of a trip to Reykjavík.
Iceland 3-0 Ireland, Laugardalsvöllur Stadium, Reykjavík, 30 October 2008
Minus temperatures in the Icelandic capital cast doubt over the fixture, but the pitch appeared to thaw out the day before the game and passed a final pre-match inspection.
“Difficult, icy conditions” were detailed in several match reports, while Sportsfile photographs captured a frozen pitch with heaps of snow on the surrounding track.
In the years since, several Irish players have claimed the game shouldn’t have gone ahead and only proceeded due to the presence of TV cameras. Both Niamh Fahey and Áine O’Gorman said Iceland had “special footwear,” while it was “like ice-skating” for their shell-shocked opposition.
Niamh Fahey in action in the second leg. Golli / Kjartan/INPHO
Golli / Kjartan/INPHO / Kjartan/INPHO
The hosts won comfortably, with goals from Dóra María Lárusdóttir (two) and Margrét Lára Viðarsdóttir sending the Scandinavian side to Euro 2009. That was as close as Ireland came to a major tournament until the 2023 World Cup.
2023 World Cup play-off
Scotland 0-1 Ireland, Hampden Park, Glasgow, 11 October 2022
Vera Pauw’s Ireland finished second in a qualifying group with Sweden, Finland, Slovakia and Georgia, and advanced to the second round of the play-offs as one of the three best runners-up.
There, they met Scotland, who had beaten Austria 1-0 after extra-time in the opening round. “If we succeed it would change lives,” Pauw said ahead of Ireland’s date with destiny at Hampden Park. This was a one-off tie, winner takes all.
Courtney Brosnan saved a Caroline Weir penalty in the 12th minute, and it felt like this could be Ireland’s night. The visitors threatened the Scottish goal as the half wore on, with Megan Campbell’s long-throw causing havoc.
Amber Barrett would prove the goalscoring hero in the 72nd minute. Denise O’Sullivan played a superb through-ball on the counter, and six minutes after her introduction from the bench, Barrett broke away and toe-poked home. The Donegal striker’s celebration was poignant: she paid tribute to the victims of the Creeslough tragedy, four days prior, by kissing her black armband.
GOAL IRELAND!!!
Amber Barrett with the speed and the finish to put Ireland into the lead at Hampden Park
Ireland held on to win by the minimum, and qualify directly for their first World Cup, ranked second 0f the play-off winners. Bottom-placed Portugal had to navigate a further inter-confederation tournament.
The ecstasy, elation and emotion at the full-time whistle said it all, as incredible scenes unfolded on the Hampden Park pitch.
Inside, The Dressing Room Chant followed, along with the subsequent fall-out of Celtic Symphony. The less said about that, the better.
Euro 2025 playoffs
Ireland 9-0 Georgia (on aggregate)
Ireland v Wales
Eileen Gleeson’s Ireland were drawn into an insanely difficult qualifying group, but their League A status all but guaranteed them a play-off before a ball was kicked. While the top two teams qualified automatically, the bottom two had the safety net of a play-off. (They would also be seeded, bar the lowest fourth-placed team.)
Ireland toiled against France, England and Sweden in the so-called Group of Death, before an upturn towards the end. The returning Julie-Ann Russell scored their first goal of the campaign at the death of a 2-1 defeat to England in Norwich, before Ireland stunned France with a monumental 3-1 win at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Buoyed by that result, they drew Georgia in Round One of the play-offs, with Wales or Slovakia to follow thereafter.
Georgia 0-6 Ireland, Mikheil Meskhi II Stadium, Tbilisi, 25 October 2024
Denise O’Sullivan in action against Sopiko Narisa of Georgia. Aleksandar Djorovic / INPHO
Aleksandar Djorovic / INPHO / INPHO
The build-up was dominated by talk of “disconnect” in Irish women’s football, while there were injury absentees and travel disruption as players arrived to camp. Courtney Brosnan was also suspended, but little of this would have worried Gleeson.
The minnows did their utmost to frustrate Ireland in Tbilisi, until Katie McCabe broke the deadlock with a 36th-minute penalty. A Kyra Carusa back-heeled finish and McCabe long-range strike either side of the hour-mark ensured a straightforward victory, and the visitors finished with a flourish.
Jessie Stapleton, Marissa Sheva and Aoife Mannion all scored their first international goals to ensure the second leg in Dublin was but a formality.
Ireland 3-0 Georgia, Tallaght Stadium, Dublin, 29 October 2024
With the tie long over, Gleeson urged her side to “kill it off” and “be ruthless”. The record Tallaght crowd of 8,745 may have be disappointed not to see more goals, but three brought the aggregate to a convincing 9-0.
Julie-Ann Russell celebrating her goal with 'The Rosie Wave' in honour of her one-year-old daughter. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Russell scored early, with Carusa and McCabe following suit thereafter. Hometown hero McCabe did miss a penalty, but still brought her international tally to 29 goals in 91 caps.
That same night, Wales beat Slovakia at Cardiff City Stadium, overturning a surprise first-leg deficit to seal their play-off decider spot.
Ireland now lie in wait. Their play-off record stands at 1-1 after Euro 2008 and the 2023 World Cup, and Euro 2025 completes the trilogy.
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From frozen pitch in Iceland to history at Hampden - Ireland's play-off record
AS IT STANDS, the record is 1-1.
The Republic of Ireland women’s national team are contesting play-offs for the third time.
They comfortably overcame Georgia over two legs in the first round, and now face a decisive double-header against Wales. The winners qualify for Euro 2025.
Ireland’s first play-off appearance ended in defeat as Iceland beat them to Euro 2009.
Their next time they edged out Scotland to reach their first-ever major tournament, the 2023 World Cup.
Now, Eileen Gleeson’s side aim to reach their second — and maiden Euros next summer. The first leg is at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday, 29 November, before the return showdown at Aviva Stadium the following Tuesday, 3 December.
A ticket to Switzerland 2025 would be the perfect Christmas present.
Here, we take a look back at Ireland’s play-off history.
Euro 2009 play-off
Ireland progressed to their first-ever play-off after finishing third in their qualifying group, behind Sweden and Italy and ahead of Romania and Hungary. Noel King’s side were pitted against Iceland, ranked 10 places above them in the Fifa World Rankings, and a tricky two-legged tie awaited.
Only one member of the current squad to face Wales was involved, Niamh Fahey. Louise Quinn also played, but she is ruled out of the upcoming double-header through injury. Goalkeeping coach Emma Byrne was between the posts, while there were a host of other familiar faces like Áine O’Gorman, Stephanie Zambra (Roche) and Olivia O’Toole. A certain Katie Taylor starred in qualifying, but wasn’t in the final play-off squad as boxing took over.
All square after the first leg in Dublin, controversy reigned in the second. One newspaper headline summed it up: Irish dreams of Euro finals frozen out.
King billed the play-off as “a massive occasion for the women’s game but also for Irish football as a whole,” likening it to the men’s 2002 World Cup play-off win over Iran.
Richmond Park in Inchicore played host. Disaster struck just 25 seconds in as Iceland hit the front through Hólmfríður Magnúsdóttir. Ireland settled and created some chances of their own, but their Icelandic visitors heaped on the pressure and continually threatened.
Stephanie Curtis proved Ireland’s goal-scoring hero in the 63rd minute, salvaging a draw and keeping the Euro dream alive ahead of a trip to Reykjavík.
Minus temperatures in the Icelandic capital cast doubt over the fixture, but the pitch appeared to thaw out the day before the game and passed a final pre-match inspection.
“Difficult, icy conditions” were detailed in several match reports, while Sportsfile photographs captured a frozen pitch with heaps of snow on the surrounding track.
In the years since, several Irish players have claimed the game shouldn’t have gone ahead and only proceeded due to the presence of TV cameras. Both Niamh Fahey and Áine O’Gorman said Iceland had “special footwear,” while it was “like ice-skating” for their shell-shocked opposition.
The hosts won comfortably, with goals from Dóra María Lárusdóttir (two) and Margrét Lára Viðarsdóttir sending the Scandinavian side to Euro 2009. That was as close as Ireland came to a major tournament until the 2023 World Cup.
2023 World Cup play-off
Vera Pauw’s Ireland finished second in a qualifying group with Sweden, Finland, Slovakia and Georgia, and advanced to the second round of the play-offs as one of the three best runners-up.
There, they met Scotland, who had beaten Austria 1-0 after extra-time in the opening round. “If we succeed it would change lives,” Pauw said ahead of Ireland’s date with destiny at Hampden Park. This was a one-off tie, winner takes all.
Courtney Brosnan saved a Caroline Weir penalty in the 12th minute, and it felt like this could be Ireland’s night. The visitors threatened the Scottish goal as the half wore on, with Megan Campbell’s long-throw causing havoc.
Amber Barrett would prove the goalscoring hero in the 72nd minute. Denise O’Sullivan played a superb through-ball on the counter, and six minutes after her introduction from the bench, Barrett broke away and toe-poked home. The Donegal striker’s celebration was poignant: she paid tribute to the victims of the Creeslough tragedy, four days prior, by kissing her black armband.
Ireland held on to win by the minimum, and qualify directly for their first World Cup, ranked second 0f the play-off winners. Bottom-placed Portugal had to navigate a further inter-confederation tournament.
The ecstasy, elation and emotion at the full-time whistle said it all, as incredible scenes unfolded on the Hampden Park pitch.
Inside, The Dressing Room Chant followed, along with the subsequent fall-out of Celtic Symphony. The less said about that, the better.
Euro 2025 playoffs
Eileen Gleeson’s Ireland were drawn into an insanely difficult qualifying group, but their League A status all but guaranteed them a play-off before a ball was kicked. While the top two teams qualified automatically, the bottom two had the safety net of a play-off. (They would also be seeded, bar the lowest fourth-placed team.)
Ireland toiled against France, England and Sweden in the so-called Group of Death, before an upturn towards the end. The returning Julie-Ann Russell scored their first goal of the campaign at the death of a 2-1 defeat to England in Norwich, before Ireland stunned France with a monumental 3-1 win at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Buoyed by that result, they drew Georgia in Round One of the play-offs, with Wales or Slovakia to follow thereafter.
The build-up was dominated by talk of “disconnect” in Irish women’s football, while there were injury absentees and travel disruption as players arrived to camp. Courtney Brosnan was also suspended, but little of this would have worried Gleeson.
The minnows did their utmost to frustrate Ireland in Tbilisi, until Katie McCabe broke the deadlock with a 36th-minute penalty. A Kyra Carusa back-heeled finish and McCabe long-range strike either side of the hour-mark ensured a straightforward victory, and the visitors finished with a flourish.
Jessie Stapleton, Marissa Sheva and Aoife Mannion all scored their first international goals to ensure the second leg in Dublin was but a formality.
With the tie long over, Gleeson urged her side to “kill it off” and “be ruthless”. The record Tallaght crowd of 8,745 may have be disappointed not to see more goals, but three brought the aggregate to a convincing 9-0.
Russell scored early, with Carusa and McCabe following suit thereafter. Hometown hero McCabe did miss a penalty, but still brought her international tally to 29 goals in 91 caps.
That same night, Wales beat Slovakia at Cardiff City Stadium, overturning a surprise first-leg deficit to seal their play-off decider spot.
Ireland now lie in wait. Their play-off record stands at 1-1 after Euro 2008 and the 2023 World Cup, and Euro 2025 completes the trilogy.
What will it read in 10 days’ time?
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