Letter from Cardiff: Brendan Gleeson delivers vote of confidence for Girls in Green

Emma Duffy reports from Cardiff

FROM TALLAGHT TO Australia, Hampden to Cardiff City Stadium.

The rollercoaster ride of covering the Ireland women’s national football team continues.

Football was the central theme from the airport shuttle bus through a busy terminal.

There was banter between Aston Villa and Leeds fans en route to the Champions League and Championship games they were attending, while Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley and his coaching staff enjoyed a pre-flight coffee before their flight to Vienna.

Destination Cardiff for The 42 — well, Bristol and onward via a bus and train.

It’s bitterly cold in the Welsh capital as night falls, but warmth and refuge is found in Elevens, ‘Gareth Bale’s premium city centre sports bar’.

Bale Ale and Lager all round, with various games shown on a myriad of televisions.

Liverpool v Real Madrid is the main attraction, with the man himself on punditry duty. Inception. Ireland’s own Caoimhín Kelleher gets the loudest cheer of the night as he denies Mbappe from the spot.

This is rugby country – the Principality Stadium is celebrating its 25th anniversary – but football has been enjoying an upsurge of late. Craig Bellamy brings plenty of intrigue as the senior men’s manager, the club scene is thriving, and the women’s side are two games away from a first major tournament.

Ireland stand in their way.

MD-1, or Uefa/Fifa speak for the day before the game, was typically hectic.

It began with a picture on social media of several Irish players meeting Hollywood star Brendan Gleeson in the lobby of their hotel.

Ran into an Irish legend in Cardiff! 🤩

Good to see ya, Brendan 🇮🇪#COYGIG pic.twitter.com/bN7Vkh3nyK

— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) November 28, 2024

Then it was on to Cardiff City Stadium to hear from Eileen Gleeson and Denise O’Sullivan, followed by a dash to Vale Resort where Rhian Wilkinson’s Wales are based.

The Irish camp were relaxed but focused, carrying out pre-match formalities with little fuss. Maybe it’s that they have experienced qualifying for a major tournament already, along with the wonder of a World Cup, but it all felt very routine. As it should be.

At Vale, Sky Sports News played on a TV in the foyer. They were broadcasting live from the press conference room. Inception, again.

A line of other cameras awaited Wilkinson and Angharad James, and it felt like their questioning went on for much longer than Ireland’s.

Perhaps that was a result of a section in the Welsh language, which was fascinating to hear, but there was much more talk of history, legacy and occasion here.

Ireland have done their fair share of that through the years. It was almost like a role reversal to the World Cup play-off two years ago, Scotland then slight favourites and Ireland the hungry underdogs. We need little reminder or what happened thereafter. Beware.

Our Uber driver back enquired about the Wales’ women press conference. “Rugby, is it?”

He went on to tell us all about Jess Fishlock, who he knew personally from baseball exploits in her younger years.

“Fantastic. Good sportswoman. All rounder.”

The Gareth Bale of the women’s squad, as she’s widely considered.

No doubt there’ll be a pint or two for her in Elevens should they qualify for their first ever major tournament.

Ireland are chasing history of their own, having yet to feature at a European Championships.

The dream can be realised across the two-legged showdown tonight and Tuesday.

Black Friday could brighten, a major vote of confidence placed on Election Day. It’s beginning to feel festive here too, with the Christmas markets in full flow. Advantage tonight would be a welcome present.

From Cardiff City Stadium to the Aviva to Switzerland?

The journey continues.