4 days ago
Katie McCabe warns Ireland must be ‘miles better' in crunch clash against Slovenia as Carla Ward calls for ‘Irish noise'
KATIE McCABE warned Ireland will have to be 'miles better' if they are to beat Slovenia after their late win over Turkey.
But manager Carla Ward believes her mentality monsters showed they are up for the fight that awaits them at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
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Katie McCabe admitted Ireland need to be miles better against Slovenia
Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
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Carla Ward believes Ireland showed the grit needed for the clash against Slovenia
Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
The Girls in Green secured second place in League B of the
Emily Murphy's late goal sealed a comeback win after
The win sets up a winner-takes-all clash against
next
Tuesday, with Carla Ward's side needing to win 5-0 to top the group on the head-to-head.
But captain
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She told RTE: 'We got the result and that is what matters in the end.
'For us, from a performance point of view, we have to be miles better going into Tuesday.
'I felt we didn't move the ball quick enough, we didn't move
'We are going to need a massive improvement if we are going to beat Slovenia on Tuesday.'
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Ireland fell behind to Hancar's opener on 48 minutes after the hosts played through their high press and launched a counter-attack down the left.
Needing a reaction, Carla Ward introduced Kyra Carusa, Emily Murphy, and Saoirse Noonan on the hour mark, while Megan Campbell came on with 15 minutes to play.
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And the subs came good, with Campbell's trademark long throw-in forcing a Busem Seker own goal with ten minutes to go before Murphy slammed home the winner at the death.
McCabe added: 'I think if we folded that early with all that much time to play for it, it wouldn't be us from a character point of view.
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'I really think a big kudos to the girls coming off the bench today. They changed it and I was very proud of them, especially Murph getting the winner.
'Murph has done really well since she has come back from America. She is over in
'It is not easy coming in straight off the back of the couple of camps so she has been getting her head down and working very hard and she took her chance today.'
PLUCK OF THE IRISH
Ireland lost 4-0 to Slovenia back in February, and will need a 5-0 win in Cork next Tuesday to top League B.
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Winning the group will guarantee a play-off for the 2027
Pairc Ui Chaoimh was the
And Carla Ward urged fans to turn out in numbers to
cheer
her side over the line.
She said: 'We have to win 5-0 which is not easy against any team now because women's football; is improving in very country as you can see in every Nations League - A, B, and C.
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'It is going to be tough but one thing we will do is go out there with an attitude, mindset and belief that anything is possible.
'The Irish love that, I love that. It is why I took the job.
'I have heard an awful lot about Cork. I have heard an awful lot about the noise down there. We are going to need everyone.
'We are going to need every bit of Irish noise and blood because we are going to give everything.
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'We are going to need the fans to back us, we need the fans to be there loud. As a nation, if we come together, anything is possible.'
