Home-based players back in action as new campaign kicks off

With our own Premier Division in hibernation since the end of October, our not so snappily titled World-Cup-squad-contender-watch has been limited to players beyond these shores. But on Saturday the new campaign kicked off so our home-based crew now have the chance to up their efforts to earn a trip to Australia this summer.

In all 17 home-based players have been capped by Vera Pauw, although eight of them are now playing outside Ireland, an indication both of the “brain drain” from the domestic league and what an international call-up can do for you career.

Shamrock Rovers’ pre-season acquisitions Aine O’Gorman and Abbie Larkin were the only home-based representatives to make it into the squad for the recent training camp in Spain and friendly against China, and both players featured in Rovers’ first league game since dropping out of that level nine years ago. A triumphant return too, with O’Gorman scoring in injury time to give her side a 2-1 win away to Sligo Rovers.

A welcome sight was the presence of Savannah McCarthy on the Shamrock Rovers bench a year after she suffered a cruciate ligament injury when playing for Galway. McCarthy had begun to establish herself in the Irish defence before her injury, so will hope for a chance now to reclaim her place in the squad.

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And Rianna Jarrett is back in action after her own injury struggles, the striker, who started six of Vera Pauw’s first seven games in charge of Ireland, in Wexford Youths colours again after leaving London City Lionesses last month. Jarrett featured in Wexford’s 1-0 win at Galway United, alongside fellow international Aoibheann Clancy.

Meanwhile, another player capped by Pauw, Jessie Stapleton, helped Shelbourne kick off the defence of their title with an emphatic 6-0 win over Cork City.

Over in England, Irish captain Katie McCabe had a memorable day at Selhurst Park, in front of a crowd of 19,010, when she was part of the Arsenal side that won its first trophy in four years by beating Chelsea 3-1 in the League Cup final.

McCabe won the penalty that put Arsenal 2-1 up after Sam Kerr had given Chelsea the lead after just 90 seconds, but was subbed off in the 56th minute having being on the wrong end of a string of heavy challenges.

It was a good day too for goalkeeper Grace Moloney who retained her place for Reading after a fine FA Cup performance last week, and promptly had a blinder for them in a 2-1 win over West Ham, only their third league victory all season. Courtney Brosnan was also back in goal for Everton following an injury to Emily Ramsey, but was on the wrong end of a 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa.

Among the goals were Saoirse Noonan (in Durham’s Championship win over Coventry), Lily Agg (in London City Lionesses’ defeat by Sheffield United in the same division) and Ciara Grant (in Hearts’ 3-0 defeat of Glasgow).

Amber Barrett, though, had a day to forget, missing a penalty after she came on as a sub for Potsdam in their 3-0 loss to Duisburg, leaving the club bottom of the Bundesliga with just one win from their 13 games.