5 days ago
Ireland beat Slovenia but fall short in promotion quest
The Republic of Ireland delivered their best peformance under Carla Ward to date but fell short in their pursuit of Nations League promotion, despite beating Slovenia 1-0 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
The Girls in Green needed to win by four goals or more to pip the Slovenians to top spot in League B Group 2.
Saoirse Noonan's first-half header seemed like it might it lay the platform for an emphatic result, but the visitors - who thumped Ireland 4-0 in February - clung onto the ropes to see this out.
Slovenia head for League A while Ireland will wait on Friday's lunchtime draw to learn who they'll face in October's two-legged promotion/relegation play-off against one of the League A third-placed countries (Denmark, Belgium, Iceland or Austria).
For sure, morale will have been lifted by a much-improved showing.
Ireland were at it from the off, huffing and puffing in a sharp opening five minutes.
Noonan met McCabe's corner with a powerful header that the well-placed Zara Kramzar booted to safety; Patten had a header deflected over the bar; and the centre-half then hooked a close-range volley into the hands of Zala Mersnik.
It was purposeful, cohesive stuff from the Girls in Green, with McCabe, O'Sullivan and the excellent Emily Murphy stitching together fluid patterns of play in windy conditions on Leeside.
Abbie Larkin was on song too. She danced past a couple of challenges before drilling in a low effort that Mersnik gobbled up.
The Girls in Green were on top. On 19 minutes, they got their lifeline.
GOAL IRELAND
IRL 1-0 SVN
Saoirse Noonan heads home to hand Ireland the lead against Slovenia. #rtesoccer
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Stapleton swung in a dipping right-wing cross that was nodded home by Noonan, who once graced this pitch in the colours of the Cork Gaelic footballers. Carusa should have made it two just four minutes later, slashing wide after swivelling a dropping ball in the six-yard box.
There was a real belief to Ireland's play as they searched for a second. Carusa guided a header over; then Murphy did likewise following smart McCabe build-up down the left flank.
Murphy was a menace throughout. The Newcastle United attacker constantly ran at Slovenia, and often had them hacking at thin air as she bobbed and weaved down the right.
Connolly almost benefited from a fine Murphy run and cross when a half-clearance fell nicely for the Lazio midfielder, whose goalbound effort was blocked by Sara Agrez.
Slovenia were not comfortable. Manager Sasa Kolman went in the book for vocal protestations aimed at Slovakian referee Miriama Bockova, but in truth his side were guilty of persistent fouling as they tried to disrupt Irish momentum.
For all their good moments, the second goal just wouldn't come for Ireland. Patten almost capitalised on hesitant defending when she ghosted in for an opportunistic header, but it flashed wide.
They were indebted to Brosnan on the stroke of half-time when she denied Prasnikar who'd hared through after a fluid counter.
One up at the break, Ward would have asked for more of the same.
And it remained one-way traffic on the turnaround. Indeed they almost enjoyed the perfect start to the half when Connolly picked out Stapleton, free as a bird in the box. The 20-year-old glanced her header straight at Mersnik.
Connolly's snap shot whistled a yard over the bar just before the hour mark as Ireland grafted to break down Slovenia's commmitted low block.
Ward then played her trump card. On came Megan Campbell and Amber Barrett for Stapleton and Noonan - and that gave the Páirc crowd a spectacle they'd been waiting for: Campbell's mega -throw.
She was only in the game two minutes when the first chance to launch one arrived. Hayes got on the end of it; the effort bounced wide.
Murphy lashed a rising drive over from a tight angle, and Hayes glanced yet another header wide off a wicked Connolly delivery. But that second goal just wouldn't come.
Murphy - central to almost all of Ireland's best attacks - stung Mersnik's palms in the 75th minute with a fierce effort.
Louise Quinn came off the bench with ten minutes to go to make one last appearance before retirement. Her introduction drew a huge roar of appreciation from the 9,433 fans in attendance; yet Ireland still failed to hammer down the door.
Things got heated in the closing stages, Patten and Kaja Erzen getting involved in a shoving match that briefly escalated.
Ultimately, Slovenia got over the line. Ireland will take on the USA in two friendlies lter this month before knuckling down for those autumn games. Promotion to the top tier is not gone yet.
Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes, Jessie Stapleton (Megan Campbell 62); Abbie Larkin (Louise Quinn 80), Denise O'Sullivan, Megan Connolly, Emily Murphy, Katie McCabe (capt); Kyra Carusa (Marissa Sheva 80), Saoirse Noonan (Amber Barrett 62)
Attendance: 9,433
