AFTER SUFFERING AN agonising defeat to European champions Germany last month, Ireland’s senior women return to Tallaght Stadium tonight for the first of two massive World Cup qualifiers with Russia (7.30pm).
Sue Ronan’s side conceded in injury time to lose out 3-2 to the team ranked second in the world, meaning they sit third in the table with nine points from four games.
Beaten 9-0 by Germany, Russia arrive in Dublin with a two-point advantage over Ireland. The sides then meet again on 19 June while Ireland have a home fixture against Croatia five days earlier.
With the four best runners-up from the seven groups progressing to the play-offs for next summer’s finals in Canada, the Girls in Green are quietly confident of picking up a victory against this evening’s opposition.
“Russia are always strong competitors, a good team and it will be a big test for us but one that we are well able for,” said Diane Caldwell.
“We have got our fair share of experience now playing teams that are ranked above us. We are really well prepared for this game and, judging by our performance against those teams that are ranked higher than us, the Russians will be a little bit afraid of us.”
Caldwell’s team-mate Stephanie Roche came off the bench to score against Germany and the Peamount United striker maintains that experience will stand to them in the future.
“When I came on obviously I knew there wasn’t a lot of time left and if I was going to get any chances it was only going to be one or two so I was delighted to score when I did,” Roche recalls. “Then for them to go down the other end and score the winner was devastating.
Even before that game we always said our aim was to finish second. Germany have dominated European and world football over the last 20 years so going into the game Sue said it would be a bonus to get anything out of it.
“To score two goals against a team who hadn’t conceded in five games was great and there is a lot of positives to take going into the Russia game and we’ll be confident that we can get three points.”
SQUAD: Goalkeepers: Emma Byrne (Arsenal), Niamh Reid-Burke (Raheny United), Eve Badana (Dexter University). Defenders: Sophie Perry (Millwall), Meabh de Burca (Galway WFC), Louise Quinn (Eskilstuna United), Diane Caldwell (Avaldsnes), Megan Campbell (Florida State University), Yvonne Tracy (Unattached), Karen Duggan (Peamount United). Midfielders: Julie Ann Russell (Peamount United), Ciara Grant (Raheny United), Siobhan Killeen (Raheny United), Dora Gorman (Peamount United), Shannon Smyth (Amazon Grimstad), Rachel Graham (Raheny United), Emma Hansberry (Castlebar Celtic). Forwards: Fiona O’Sullivan (SC Frieburg), Denise O’Sullivan (Glasgow City), Stephanie Roche (Peamount United), Ruesha Littlejohn (Sandviken), Áine O’Gorman (Peamount United).
