IRELAND MANAGER VERA Pauw has opted to start Reading star Grace Moloney in goals for tonight’s Euro 2022 qualifier showdown against all-conquering Germany.

The Girls In Green more than likely need to win at Tallaght Stadium [KO 5pm, live on RTÉ 2] if they are to qualify for next year’s play-offs — which would be a monumental upset against the world’s second-ranked nation, who boast a 100% in this Group I-winning campaign and have scored 43 goals without reply.

Moloney has been in scintillating club form for the Royals and gets the nod for her third cap ahead of first-choice ‘keeper Marie Hourihan. Hourihan missed last months gut-wrenching 1-0 defeat to Ukraine through injury, with West Ham’s Courtney Brosnan starting instead.

But it’s Moloney who gets the number one jersey — or wears her #16 — for tonight’s massive fixture, with Brosnan and Niamh Reid-Burke on the bench, and Hourihan absent from the 23.

Meanwhile, Shelbourne ace Jamie Finn comes into midfield for her second cap and it looks like Ireland will line out in a 1-5-4-1 formation, or go 1-3-5-2 as the game develops. Defence will see Liverpool’s Niamh Fahey return to join reliable centre-half partnership Louise Quinn and Diane Caldwell.

Brighton & Hove Albion striker Rianna Jarrett will lead the line, as she has done of late, with US-based Heather Payne joining her in attack after an impressive showing in Kiev.

At the same time this evening, second-place rivals Ukraine host group minnows Montenegro, where a shock result would work in Ireland’s favour.

IRELAND XI: Moloney; O’Gorman, Quinn, Caldwell, Fahey, McCabe; Littlejohn, Finn, O’Sullivan, Payne; Jarrett.

Subs: Brosnan, Reid-Burke, Keenan, Scott, O’Riordan, Walsh, Atkinson, Farrelly, Molloy, Ziu, Wheln Barrett.

FAI. FAI.

IRELAND SQUAD: 

Goalkeepers: Marie Hourihan (SC Braga), Courtney Brosnan (West Ham United), Grace Moloney (Reading), Niamh Reid-Burke (Peamount United)
Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Keeva Keenan (Celtic), Claire Walsh (Peamount United), Louise Quinn (Fiorentina), Diane Caldwell (SC Sand), Claire O’Riordan (MSV Duisburg), Eabha O’Mahony (Cork City), Isibeal Atkinson (Shelbourne), Aine O’Gorman (Peamount United)
Midfielders: Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Jamie Finn (Shelbourne), Denise O’Sullivan (Brighton & Hove Albion – on loan from NC Courage), Niamh Farrelly (Peamount United), Ruesha Littlejohn (Leicester City), Ellen Molloy (Wexford Youths), Jessica Ziu (Shelbourne), Emily Whelan (Shelbourne)
Forwards: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Heather Payne (Florida State University), Amber Barrett (FC Koln), Rianna Jarrett (Brighton & Hove Albion)  

GERMANY SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Laura Benkarth (Bayern Munich), Ann-Katrin Berger (Chelsea), Merle Frohms (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Defenders: Marina Hegering (Bayern Munich), Kathrin Hendrich (Wolfsburg), Sophia Kleinherne (Eintracht Frankfurt), Paulina Krumbiegel (Hoffenheim), Leonie Maier (Arsenal), Lena Sophie Oberdorf (Wolfsburg), Felicitas Rauch (Wolfsburg), Pia-Sophie Wolter (Wolfsburg)
Midfielders: Klara Buhl (Bayern Munich), Sara Dabritz (Paris Saint-Germain), Linda Dallmann (Bayern Munich), Laura Freigang (Eintracht Frankfurt), Svenja Huth (Wolfsburg), Turid Knaak (Atletico Madrid), Lena Lattwein (Hoffenheim), Melanie Leupolz (Chelsea), Sydney Lohmann (Bayern Munich), Lina Magull (Bayern Munich), Dzsenifer Marozsan (Lyon), Lea Schuller (Bayern Munich), Tabea Wabmuth (Hoffenheim)
Forwards: Fabienne Dongus (Hoffenheim), Johanna Elsig (Turbine Potsdam), Isbaella Hartig (Hoffenheim), Stina Johannes (Essen), Sjoeke Nusken (Eintracht Frankfurt), Carolin Simon (Bayern Munich), Sandra Starke (Freiburg).