A recap of Ireland’s first half performance at Aviva showcases three pivotal sequences. The first event saw the English team expecting a foul near the Irish box that didn’t materialise and the game was continued. Ruesha Littlejohn found herself controlling the ball with plenty of room in the middle. However, an overextended pass from Littlejohn towards the left caused Lucy Quinn to sprint to the boundary, and by the time she retrieved it, England had reorganised their defence.
Further on, England had a 1-0 lead. An error by Lucy Bronze, pressured by Katie McCabe, led to Ireland regaining possession. Despite having an open field on the left, Quinn overplayed her pass to the skipper allowing England to regain the ball. As the second goal for England was scored, the ball continued to move from right-to-left through the Irish backline, finally spinning towards an unmarked McCabe. The expectant crowd anticipated McCabe to take advantage of the opprotunity, but she mishandled the ball, leading to Louise Quinn frantically signalling from the middle for her to concentrate.
Ken Early’s observation: Liverpool mirrored this performance at Old Trafford by creating opportunities but failing to convert them. The Irish strategy mirrored their previous games against France and other notable matches over the past year with or without coaches Eileen Gleeson or Vera Pauw. The team primarily focused on containment and counter-attack.
Being a team that plays largely without the ball, the strategy works as long as they efficiently manage the moments they recover the ball, and this efficiency was lacking for Ireland. McCabe attempted to manoeuvre past three English midfielders and was dispossessed towards the end of the first half.
Throughout these main events, England demonstrated a calm, methodological approach to achieve victory. The English goals were not particularly clever, but a result of patiently building from the back, pressing high with their wide players, overpowering the opposition, and switching play. Their strategy seemed to be straightforward— continually sending crosses into the box and capitalising on the results. This plan seemed fruitful as they led the first half.
The first score was thanks to a deft high arching pass from Keira Walsh from the left, locating Lucy Bronze on the opposite side. A header from Bronze hit Anna Patten before landing right in the path of Lauren James, who deftly dispatched it straight into the goal.
The second goal was a penalty, awarded when Ruesha Littlejohn was adjudged to have deliberately handled a shot from Jess Park. Any objections from the Ireland team would have been futile, as Alex Greenwood skillfully sent Courtney Brosnan the wrong direction from the spot.
What emerged later was the strict enforcement of handball rules by Finnish referee Lina Lehtovaara. This time, Ireland’s Louise Quinn was penalised, albeit unfairly, when Alessia Russo discharged the ball directly onto her arm from a close range. The penalty decision was overly severe.
Scoring two penalties in a single match is no mean feat, a task even Harry Kane sometimes finds hard. On her second attempt, Greenwood, who had previously targeted the bottom left, changed direction. Despite a good effort, the ball struck the post’s base and deflected across the goal, keeping it out.
At this point a 3-0 score line would have been particularly severe on Brosnan, who had risen to the occasion saving a long range shot from James, which earned her the crowd’s applause. She would later pull off an impressive save from Fran Kirby in the second half.
Reflections on the match hint that Brosnan’s save was a game-changer. While England initially demonstrated a degree of dominance, the game’s latter half saw a shift in Ireland’s favour. Upon Megan Campbell’s introduction, her long throws offered Ireland a fresh response. English defenders in the box seemed flustered, leaving Katie McCabe the option for short throws and a high cross. Ignoring her, Campbell went for the throw. The English team only managed to clear it briefly before a foul on Kiernan stopped play.
Louise Quinn’s accurate backward knock from McCabe’s free-kick was unfortunately out of reach for Caitlyn Hayes – the finest opportunity from team Ireland in the game. Hayes nearly converted another chance at the distance post from McCabe’s pass. Suddenly, the Irish team is buoyed with self-belief, while England are finding the frequent high balls tough to handle.
A glorious moment almost came for McCabe, as she sprang on Hannah Hampton’s kickout attempt and sprinted for the open goal. She reached, spun, and took a shot from a tight angle, aiming directly at the keeper. Her shot, to the chagrin of the three teammates at the centre, was unsuccessful.
Even after pushing hard, the score remained 2-0 – a decent result. In the last 30 minutes, Ireland had turned the game into a gripping contest. Regarding the ongoing issues of the Irish in the starting hour, such situations signal towards what Damien Duff frequently advocates for – investment in academies, improvement in player development, and requiring patience.
The turnout of nearly 33,000 spectators was certainly heartening, especially as it coincided with some significant men’s Champions League matches of the year. This appears to bode well for the women’s team and hints that their moment to shine might soon be on the horizon.