HISTORY BECKONS FOR one. Heartbreak for the other.
Ireland and Wales are both two games away from their first European Championships.
Their play-off final gets underway at Cardiff City Stadium tonight [KO 7.30pm, live on RTÉ 2], with qualification scores settled in Dublin next Tuesday.
Having made their major tournament debut at the 2023 World Cup, Ireland are out to back it up. They will be hell-bent on repeating their Hampden Park heroics of two years ago, and landing on the right side of history.
Wales, on the other hand, are dreaming of reaching their first major tournament, having agonisingly missed out on the last World Cup after an extra-time play-off defeat.
There’s a beautiful symmetry to it all. These Celtic cousins met in the first-ever women’s international for both countries in 1973. Half a century on, destiny calls for one.
On Election Day back home, many will give Eileen Gleeson’s side the vote of confidence to prevail, but an extremely tight tie awaits. A record home crowd does too, with over 16,000 tickets sold.
Although hard to read into, Wales did win 2-0 when the sides met in a friendly at Tallaght Stadium in February. Manager Rhian Wilkinson, in turn, sees Ireland as “absolutely beatable,” to which Gleeson responded:
“I’m not really focused on anything that Rhian has to say at this point about any tags. My full focus is on preparation. We’ve been really clear about minimising any kind of distraction. That’s the first I’ve heard so it’s really only incidental. We just focus on ourselves. We think it’s evenly-matched. We haven’t spoken about labels or tags.”
Wilkinson simmered the potential mind games thereafter. “I don’t pay any attention to it,” the former Canada international said on Ireland being slight favourites. “That’s for someone else to bother about. I don’t play it up at all. We know that it is a team that is very even with us when we played them the last couple of years, it’s on us to show up.”
Ireland’s team selection will be interesting. Their star trio Katie McCabe, Denise O’Sullivan and Courtney Brosnan will all need big games if they are to Slay The Dragon. With Aoife Mannion and Louise Quinn out injured, there’s a big decision to be made in defence. Anna Patten and Caitlin Hayes are nailed on, will they be joined by Niamh Fahey, Jessie Stapleton or perhaps Megan Connolly?
McCabe should start wide left, with Heather Payne or Abbie Larkin likely on the right. Midfield could take any shape: O’Sullivan is the definite, with Ruesha Littlejohn, Lily Agg, Tyler Toland, Marissa Sheva, Stapleton and Connolly among other options.
Kyra Carusa is expected to continue as the focal point up top, with Julie-Ann Russell off her. Leanne Kiernan has been putting her hand up, but could be preferred for impact off the bench. Megan Campbell may offer the same, her long throw-ins a tried-and-trusted threat.
In-game management is key in close encounters, and this is a big test for Gleeson. After going from one extreme to the other in League B of the Nations League to facing Europe’s elite in the qualifying Group of Death, this is the first time she will face a team around the same level as Ireland’s in a competitive fixture. She must make the right calls at the right times, and outthink Wilkinson.
Eileen Gleeson speaking to the media in Cardiff yesterday. Mike Jones / INPHO
Mike Jones / INPHO / INPHO
It’s a tightrope, too, given the two-legged challenge. Discipline and caution is needed, but Ireland will look to lay down an early marker and be in the ascendancy at the midpoint.
“It will be a good, steady approach aiming to win the game,” Gleeson insisted.
“We know we’re up against a really good team tomorrow but we’ve grown in the last 12 months,” O’Sullivan warned. “We played against some top teams, know how to come from behind and get in front, and we take real positives from those tough games going into this match.”
Wales, on the other hand, will fancy a big statement in front of their home crowd. Jess Fishlock is their superstar, the 37-year-old striker still leading the charge. She’s ably assisted, with Angharad James and Hayley Ladd among their other big names.
A real battle awaits. Tactically, it’s somewhat unpredictable, but Ireland could be happy to sit off and let Wales dominate possession and make the first moves. They typically thrive on the counter and off set-pieces, and may fare better as the game opens up.
“We’re going to be ready for whatever,” Wilkinson assured. “We’ve had a qualifying campaign that has thrown quite a lot of us, including teams who sit incredibly low or who are comfortable on counter-attacks and transition moments.
“We’ve done our homework, watched all the games. Ireland are a good team who’ve worked hard to make themselves adaptable. We do the best to prepare the team for as much as we can predict, but in the end those are predictions and it’s what hits the field that counts.”
You can say that again.
History beckons. Ireland will desperately want to land on the right side of it.
Wales v Ireland, Euro 2025 play-off final, first leg — Friday, 7.15pm, Cardiff City Stadium, RTÉ 2
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Ireland out to land on right side of history in Euro 2025 play-off final
HISTORY BECKONS FOR one. Heartbreak for the other.
Ireland and Wales are both two games away from their first European Championships.
Their play-off final gets underway at Cardiff City Stadium tonight [KO 7.30pm, live on RTÉ 2], with qualification scores settled in Dublin next Tuesday.
Having made their major tournament debut at the 2023 World Cup, Ireland are out to back it up. They will be hell-bent on repeating their Hampden Park heroics of two years ago, and landing on the right side of history.
Wales, on the other hand, are dreaming of reaching their first major tournament, having agonisingly missed out on the last World Cup after an extra-time play-off defeat.
There’s a beautiful symmetry to it all. These Celtic cousins met in the first-ever women’s international for both countries in 1973. Half a century on, destiny calls for one.
On Election Day back home, many will give Eileen Gleeson’s side the vote of confidence to prevail, but an extremely tight tie awaits. A record home crowd does too, with over 16,000 tickets sold.
Gleeson wouldn’t be drawn on the favourites tag yesterday: Ireland will be marginally favoured given their five-place advantage in the Fifa World Rankings (24th and 29th), recent League A status and major tournament experience.
Although hard to read into, Wales did win 2-0 when the sides met in a friendly at Tallaght Stadium in February. Manager Rhian Wilkinson, in turn, sees Ireland as “absolutely beatable,” to which Gleeson responded:
“I’m not really focused on anything that Rhian has to say at this point about any tags. My full focus is on preparation. We’ve been really clear about minimising any kind of distraction. That’s the first I’ve heard so it’s really only incidental. We just focus on ourselves. We think it’s evenly-matched. We haven’t spoken about labels or tags.”
Wilkinson simmered the potential mind games thereafter. “I don’t pay any attention to it,” the former Canada international said on Ireland being slight favourites. “That’s for someone else to bother about. I don’t play it up at all. We know that it is a team that is very even with us when we played them the last couple of years, it’s on us to show up.”
Ireland’s team selection will be interesting. Their star trio Katie McCabe, Denise O’Sullivan and Courtney Brosnan will all need big games if they are to Slay The Dragon. With Aoife Mannion and Louise Quinn out injured, there’s a big decision to be made in defence. Anna Patten and Caitlin Hayes are nailed on, will they be joined by Niamh Fahey, Jessie Stapleton or perhaps Megan Connolly?
McCabe should start wide left, with Heather Payne or Abbie Larkin likely on the right. Midfield could take any shape: O’Sullivan is the definite, with Ruesha Littlejohn, Lily Agg, Tyler Toland, Marissa Sheva, Stapleton and Connolly among other options.
Kyra Carusa is expected to continue as the focal point up top, with Julie-Ann Russell off her. Leanne Kiernan has been putting her hand up, but could be preferred for impact off the bench. Megan Campbell may offer the same, her long throw-ins a tried-and-trusted threat.
In-game management is key in close encounters, and this is a big test for Gleeson. After going from one extreme to the other in League B of the Nations League to facing Europe’s elite in the qualifying Group of Death, this is the first time she will face a team around the same level as Ireland’s in a competitive fixture. She must make the right calls at the right times, and outthink Wilkinson.
It’s a tightrope, too, given the two-legged challenge. Discipline and caution is needed, but Ireland will look to lay down an early marker and be in the ascendancy at the midpoint.
“It will be a good, steady approach aiming to win the game,” Gleeson insisted.
“We know we’re up against a really good team tomorrow but we’ve grown in the last 12 months,” O’Sullivan warned. “We played against some top teams, know how to come from behind and get in front, and we take real positives from those tough games going into this match.”
Wales, on the other hand, will fancy a big statement in front of their home crowd. Jess Fishlock is their superstar, the 37-year-old striker still leading the charge. She’s ably assisted, with Angharad James and Hayley Ladd among their other big names.
A real battle awaits. Tactically, it’s somewhat unpredictable, but Ireland could be happy to sit off and let Wales dominate possession and make the first moves. They typically thrive on the counter and off set-pieces, and may fare better as the game opens up.
“We’re going to be ready for whatever,” Wilkinson assured. “We’ve had a qualifying campaign that has thrown quite a lot of us, including teams who sit incredibly low or who are comfortable on counter-attacks and transition moments.
“We’ve done our homework, watched all the games. Ireland are a good team who’ve worked hard to make themselves adaptable. We do the best to prepare the team for as much as we can predict, but in the end those are predictions and it’s what hits the field that counts.”
You can say that again.
History beckons. Ireland will desperately want to land on the right side of it.
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