IRELAND HEAD COACH Carla Ward has named her squad for the upcoming 2025 Uefa Nations League double-header against Greece.
Shelbourne’s Aoibheann Clancy has been called up, while Saoirse Noonan and Chloe Mustaki return.
Noonan’s comeback is a headline one: the Celtic striker has been in superb goalscoring form but hasn’t been included in an Ireland squad since 2023. Mustaki was also last involved then, and has impressed for Bristol City in the Championship since returning from injury.
Clancy, who was previously capped by Vera Pauw in November 2022, is rewarded for her stunning start to the Women’s Premier Division season. The Limerick 21-year-old is among two domestic players in this squad alongside Ruesha Littlejohn, who recently moved to Shamrock Rovers.
Unattached duo Grace Moloney and Marissa Sheva also get the nod — the latter’s new club is due to be announced imminently — while Izzy Atkinson and Melisa Filis are among those to drop out.
Megan Connolly is unavailable for selection due to a minor ankle injury, joining Louise Quinn (hip), Tara O’Hanlon (MCL), Jamie Finn, Lily Agg and Jess Ziu (ACL) on the injury list.
Ireland travel to Crete for the first game next Friday, 4 April, before hosting the return tie at Tallaght Stadium the following Monday, 7 April.
The Girls In Green opened their Nations League campaign — and Ward’s reign — with a scrappy 1-0 win over Türkiye and a chastening 4-0 defeat to Slovenia last month.
Ireland WNT Squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic), Grace Moloney (Unattached)
Defenders: Heather Payne (Everton), Jessie Stapleton (Sunderland – on loan from West Ham United), Anna Patten (Aston Villa), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Caitlin Hayes (Brighton & Hove Albion), Megan Campbell (London City Lionesses), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City), Katie McCabe (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Ruesha Littlejohn (Shamrock Rovers), Marissa Sheva (Unattached), Aoibheann Clancy (Shelbourne)
Forwards: Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Amber Barrett (Standard Liege), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Saoirse Noonan (Celtic), Emily Murphy (Newcastle United)
Uefa Nations League - League B, Group 2
Greece v Ireland
Friday, 4 April
Theodoros Vardinogiannis Stadium, Heraklion
KO 5pm (Irish Time)
Live on RTÉ2 / RTÉ Player
Ireland v Greece
Tuesday, 8 April
Tallaght Stadium
KO 7.30p,
Live on RTÉ2 / RTÉ Player.
Never mind the gym. Get out to the field and do some real work.
@Desheen: nothing builds ya up like lifting calfs over gates
@Jamie: or picking a few stones from a field, calving a cow, building a wall, spreading slurry or cleaning a shed!
sure I could go on! Real manly stuff, that do be done in the country!
As an almost three year dedicated gym rat this is absolutely brilliant advice that anyone considering going to the gym (or currently going) should take on board.
Loving the writing/knowledge skillz bud….keep up the good work!!
also…realise the people in the photos like the ones in this article are actually fitness ”models” and the photos are all airbrushed…no real human who isn’t paid to look like that actually does….compete with yourself…nobody else
@Ken Pepper: course they do go on to instagram and you’ll see plenty of people in better shape than the “models” in this article and they do it as a sport/hobby same as any other interest
@Jamie: lol