KATIE MCCABE EPITOMISED The Fighting Irish tonight, the Republic of Ireland captain helping her side to a gritty 1-0 win in Slovakia — and most significantly, a World Cup play-off bye.
Denise O’Sullivan’s 36th-minute goal was decisive in dragging Vera Pauw’s side over the line in their final Group A qualifier — but McCabe, in particular, was pulled and dragged out of all the way.
The world-class Arsenal star was targeted from the get-go in Senec, repeatedly fouled but showing her strength and class in holding off the hapless Slovaks swarming her.
“Fucking kicked up and down the pitch,” she laughed afterwards, confirming she’s all good. Happy out.
Par for the course by now, it comes with the territory. She’ll pay no heed in being a marked woman.
“They obviously did their due dilligence on us pre-game and looked to maybe try to keep myself and Denise quiet. Kick me, try and get in my head. I rise to that, I enjoy getting kicked around the pitch, it brings me up a level. We got the win so that’s the most important for me.”
There was no shortage of needle in the second half, a lot of it stemming from McCabe being nailed by Diana Lemešová around the hour-mark. The Dubliner was visibly angered by the foul, mixing fire with ice as she put in a typically impressive display in the green jersey.
That concerned Pauw, though. “We wanted to get Katie McCabe out of that heat and bring Ellen Molloy up front because a red card was around the corner of course,” the manager explained. “So even though she was in control, there was a heat. Ellen is young so the gaps were being created. Katie was pulled out and came back to do everything she had to do. But that was the only worry because they did no create much.”
Despite the “ugly” niggle and “nastiness of the opponents,” Pauw, like McCabe, was “very proud” afterwards, both referencing four clean sheets in-a-row through a group run which yielded five wins, two draws and one defeat.
Having secured their play-off position against Finland on an historic night at Tallaght Stadium last Thursday, the manager warned to celebrate, but not party. She gave her blessing for the latter tonight, the team getting a charter flight straight home. “Yes, they are allowed to party,” she smiled. “I will go to bed and leave them.”
The skipper was satisfied with the performance overall, and how her side grew into the game, reserving special praise for the back five who held firm despite Slovakia “chucking the kitchen sink at it” down the home straight.
“It was important for us to start right, more proactive than Thursday and a bit more front foot,” McCabe noted. “Second half they came out and looked to kick us, looked to — excuse the French — piss us off. It was up to us to stay in control, keep the head and let the football do the talking.
“There was all this chat of nerves on Thursday night but for me, we weren’t nervous, we were just adapting to Finland with a new manager and new way of playing. There was absolutely no nerves tonight. We were in control. We knew our game plan and we stuck to our roles and responsibility within that and ultimately came out on top.”
The post-match scenes were brilliant, the players and travelling fans alike jubilant in celebration as rounds of, ‘Olé, olé’ rang around NTC Senec.
“It was a different feeling on Thursday. Thursday was more of a relief that we actually got the play-off, today was just about that bonus of skipping the first round. It’s just enjoying it with out travelling fans.
“There is people here having pints with Ireland jerseys on, flags, kids, it’s brilliant to see. I know there is only a couple of hundred of them, but it’s brilliant to see the support. We’re out in Slovakia and people are cheering us on. I’m sure everyone at home was cheering us on as well.”
These recent achievements feel significant for Irish women’s football, a real sense that this is a proper breakthrough moment. History. New ground.
“You see what the Lionesses have done in the Euros over the summer, them putting the WSL on the map. We want to put the Republic of Ireland on the map. We want to be competing against the best teams in Europe and the best teams in the world.
“We want to give people tough games, we’re not going to make it easy for people to beat us. We’re here to challenge and we really want to make a major tournament.”
“We got quality in this team, you can see that,” she added. “I don’t think I was even involved for the goal. The play between Heather [Payne], Jess Ziu and Denise, like, Jess Ziu has been phenomenal these last two games.
“It’s not just me you have to worry about… it’s the lot of us — Megan Campbell’s long throw, Denise on the edge of the box, the Louise [Quinn] header — we got it, but we need to keep our feet firmly on the ground. We know we got a big game to go in the second round of the play-offs.”
The first round-bye is hugely beneficial, McCabe concludes, with the draw set for Friday and the Girls In Green now seeded.
“It’s a massive boost, it’s one less game. It’s massive, we can fully focus on the one game we have whoever we are drawn against. We will just give it our all really.
“Whoever comes out, that’s the luck of the draw isn’t it? It’s a cup final at the end of the day. Obviously we’ve done ourselves a bit of justice and got that bonus of missing the first round of the play-offs which was our target tonight.”
Rte coverage today ….
The panel reckon the attendance has dropped at gaa matches cause Dublin are to dominant ….
No maybe the numbers of supporters going to see the gaa has dropped due to the fact that the real fans who go to all games cant get a ticket for the all Ireland finals n find it extremely hard to get tickets for seni finals due to the GAA being so money hungry when it comes to the biggest games in there calendar year they are more concerned of sponsor forgetting free tickets to give to staff that probably dont even support the GAA at all
@Ian O’Rourke: i don’t think there are 40k sponsors looking for tickets. No one has interest. Sunshine supporters or diehards.
@Ian O’Rourke: it’s because Dublin are too dominant. I used to go to all the games but haven’t been to a Leinster match in a good few years now. Club champo is far more entertaining these days, and the quality you see in the Dublin champo isn’t far below intercounty either. Breaking up the club season for the intercounty champo is annoying, but that’s at the feet of Dublin GAA. And in all my time going to club games I don’t think I’ve had to sit through a half as boring as I’ve just watched either.
@Ian O’Rourke: Ah that’s a load of crap you can get tickets. For the semi finals on tickets.ie no problem most people I know that go to the matches have season tickets.
Not unless your a FG TD/Senator demanding a ticket for the final,Yet they probably did not bother their ass going to the league matches in February.
@Winston Smith: why was cork & kerry have empty its not because Dublin are great.its because tickets are to expensive for what your watching
@Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: sponsors dont only get 1 ticket each ….
@Winston Smith: no it’s not its cause Gaa are money hungry and dont care bout genuine supports who stand on the hill in February on a freezing cold Saturday night
@Ian O’Rourke: genuine supporters are out supporting their club in September and October, and those genuine supporters have no problem getting tickets for all Irelands through their clubs. You think you deserve a ticket to an all Ireland just cos you traipse to Croker for a league match? No mate, the people who deserve the tickets for the big games are the people who train the kids for the small games. With that sense of entitlement you should look for a FG seat in the Seanad.
@Winston Smith: what n absolute fool the the point of my comment went out the window with you but sure after all with a name like Winston what would ye expect
@Ian O’Rourke: you’re a fair weather fool with a sense of entitlement. Go back to the soccer where your type belong. Real GAA fans aren’t people who think they’re great for going to a few league matches, real GAA fans are people who get up every Saturday to train kids and involve themselves in the GAA. You know why you can’t get tickets for the big games? Because you’re not wanted in the GAA, your kind exist purely to be shaken down for a few bob every now and again, and like the rest of them you’re too stupid to even realise that’s all you are. See you at the final in August mate. Oh no, I wont, you’ll be on your bar stool for it! Hahaha
Brutal match
Awful pity Kevin McStay is’nt still managing a county team! It would spare us all the pain of listening to his co-commentary on The Sunday Game!
@Joe L: Hear hear
Can’t wait to stick it to the Dubs. About time they were knocked off their perch.
@This Guy:
That might be one of those comments that looks really silly come full time.
@This Guy:
@This Guy: you will regret that comment
@This Guy: it’s football not farming
@This Guy: either pure sarcasm or pure optimism.
@This Guy: why is it about time they were knocked off their perch? They work their butts off to be where they are. Maybe your county team needs to work a bit harder.
Dublin didn’t always win. Please remember that ye green eyed monster.
Up the DUBS
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: Dublin didn’t always have the lions share of investment from gaa hq either. But they are a serious team that work their arses off. Like every county team.
@This Guy: Dublin gets everything
@This Guy: winning all Ireland after all Ireland is great, but something more simple and enjoyable in hammering meath. Does anyone like meath?
@Milk The Drones: looks stupid now
Meath need 33 mins to score
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: Excuse me, I’m actually from Dublin. I was referring to the team.
@Richard O’Brien: they earned and deserved everything Can you imagine GAA (or Ireland for that matter) with no
Dublin
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: keep up the good work and be a proud Dubliner
@Ian O’Rourke: That sounds like a threat. Reported.
@This Guy: sounds a bit sopranoesqe
@This Guy: in all fairness he means that you will regret it when you see the final score
@Milk The Drones: ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha the match was crap but ha ha ha ha ha
@This Guy: ha ha ha ha cabbage
@This Guy: how did that turn out for you
@Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: and they bring in the most income for the GAA.
Get off the high horse already!!!!!!! Sore losers
@This Guy: you’re a dreadful Dub so.
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: and the head honchos realised that and threw more dollars behind them in the hope that they’d get an all Ireland or two and in turn make the gaa a little richer. And now that has backfired to a degree.
@Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: you haven’t a clue pal. Just stop already
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: The GAA have created a monster and now they can’t control it. I’d say they are regretting putting €16 million into Dublin over the last 10 years !!
Rte calling the 1st half interesting, are they having a laugh, that was absolutely dirt
Hopefully it’s not one sided
@Steve O’Reilly: it’s always one sided, one side of boggers, and DUBLIN
@Zerolife TwentyThree: yeah the pale vs people who wanted their independence..
@Zerolife TwentyThree: someone has to feed ye gluttonous shower of sh 1tes.
@Ave it: they don’t call them union jackeens for nothing
@Ave it: bullseye!!!!
Love the rte biased commentary
@Con O’Hannrachàin: rte don’t touch the ball
@Anthony Doyle: have you listened to the commentary it’s woeful.
This is a like a basketball game
I’m watching it and it’s absolutely dire…
What an awful game
@Irish Freedom Now.: pitch is like a bloody ice rink
Great game of sideways ball
Is there nothing to be said for saying another mass!
Meath playing well in the defense! The forward line has been shocking. Big improvement needed.
Same issue here in limerick for next week’s Munster Final. Terrace tickets sold in shops before they checked on demand from clubs. Club my partner is a member of got 66 tickets with over 100 looking for them and she’s been at all the games other than one since December sitting at games with 1000 attending. Luck in the draw for the tickets tonight her only way of getting one.
@Chris Enright (Garden Fresh Veg): just get a season ticket.
I’d have rather watched Love Island..
How the hell did Meath get to a Leinster final
South meath will still feel like they are in with a chance
@Andrew Tuite: if they run into north Dublin
What a terrible game, Meath 4 points over 70+ minutes, Cavan lost by scoring 2-16 and donegal being touted as serious all Ireland contenders
Dreadful game.
Poor performance by both sides but more so from Meath. Tepid, looked like they were preparing themselves for qualifiers. Seemed like they were kicking it wide on purpose. Either really bad game management or a con (next game will tell)
Meath will be picked off by a decent team
Legends
Attendances are down because you can’t get tickets to the semi final or the final. Simple as that.
As a fan who has not to attend a game in years because of the trouble around getting tickets to come semi-final & final time.
I watched on Sunday my next door neighbours heading off in brand new Dublin kits to attend the game with 4 adults and a 7-year-old who was her first game ever and not once have I ever hear them speak about support Dublin all years.
All the local clubs who support and are Training young boys and girls to be the future players for the team struggle to get enough tickets for club members and players.
But yet Once or twice a year fans stroll into a newsagent or get given tickets for game is a very big problem with how tickets are shared out.
I would agree with Ian O’Rourke I have seen and gotten emails of tickets been offered in the workplace to people who jump on the bandwagon come final time.
As a fan who has not to attend a game in years because of the trouble around getting tickets to come semi-final & final time.
I watched on Sunday my next door neighbours heading off in brand new Dublin kits to attend the game with 4 adults and a 7-year-old who was her first game ever and not once have I ever hear them speak about support Dublin all years.
All the local clubs who support and are Training young boys and girls to be the future players for the team struggle to get enough tickets for club members and players.
But yet Once or twice a year fans stroll into a newsagent or get given tickets for game is a very big problem with how tickets are shared out.
I would agree with Ian O’Rourke I have seen and gotten emails of tickets been offered in the workplace to people who jump on the bandwagon come final time.