Slovakia 0 Republic of Ireland 1
Inch by inch, brimming with composure and professionalism, the Republic of Ireland hone in on a place at next year’s World Cup.
And there was drama in Utrecht as Esmee Brugts’s 93rd-minute winner sees the Netherlands top Group C at the expense of Iceland, who join Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, Scotland, Switzerland and Wales in Friday’s playoff draw. The games take place in October.
Denise O’Sullivan has been immense throughout the qualifiers, so it came as no surprise to see the final game orbit around the 28-year-old’s perpetual motion. Her sixth goal of the campaign, one behind Katie McCabe, came at the ideal moment for Vera Pauw’s side.
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If ever two Irish players deserve to feature at a major tournament it is this heroic pair.
But until O’Sullivan’s 37th-minute strike, too many opportunities passed without a final touch as Heather Payne, O’Sullivan’s equal in the athletic department, lacked the striker’s instinct to profit from McCabe balls into the six-yard box.
[ Slovakia 0 Ireland 1 - As it happenedOpens in new window ]
Megan Campbell’s long throw feels like an attacking weapon Ireland cannot afford to keep in cold storage as the Liverpool defender’s arcing deliveries caused panic in the Slovak ranks. O’Sullivan stood menacingly on the edge of the area primed to shoot.
But that’s not how the goal happened. It began with player of the match Jessica Ziu knifing through the middle before feeding O’Sullivan, who dropped a pass wide right for Payne. The cross was poor but Jana Vojteková's clearance was worse as O’Sullivan arrived to finish into the corner of Maria Korenciova’s net.
It was precisely what Ireland needed having largely probed for Slovak error, rather than Payne’s head, with speculative crosses.
O’Sullivan was everywhere but McCabe was equally effective, picking her moments to glide off the left and prove beyond reasonable doubt that her time as a wing back needs to be shelved. And anyway, Campbell’s reliability has earned her the position.
Despite the constant tributes to O’Sullivan and McCabe, who the Slovaks kicked with relish, it is the performance of others that puts Ireland into Friday’s playoff draw. Two world-class players need constant help to avoid being lumped with defensive duties. In that sense Lily Agg was the water carrier in front of Louise Quinn, who marched up front to contest every Campbell throw.
Courtney Brosnan’s growth since that miserable night in Kyiv two years ago must also be recognised. With only 490 spectators in attendance, the Everton goalkeeper could be heard barking instructions as she helped Claire O’Riordan and Harriet Scott adjust after several years in the international wilderness.
Brosnan also proved equal to Diana Lemešová's shot on 39 minutes. The wobbles of previous campaigns have been replaced by the New Jersey-born goalie’s consistent solidity.
The crowd was almost reduced to 488 at half-time when two sizeable middle-aged men, draped in their Slovak colours, took umbrage with a security guard blocking the quickest path to the beer taps. Sense prevailed as the loudest singers in Senec regained their voice for the second act.
It lacked the usual drama as McCabe’s artistry almost delivered a lobbed volley into the top corner. Seconds later Lemešová was lucky to only see yellow as she sliced through McCabe’s ankle in a blind challenge.
“Studs up ref?” Quinn asked Spain’s María Martínez following the fifth blatant hack on the Arsenal winger.
McCabe kept torturing Slovak efforts to play through Ireland with Vojteková punishing her next interception with a dunt that left the captain lying flat on grass. Martínez was nonplussed.
As the contest increasingly became about retaining possession, Pauw replaced Scott with Ellen Molloy as Ziu reverted to full back in the 5-4-1 system. Molloy’s sixth cap comes the same week she received her Leaving Cert results. The future is bright but we already knew that after seeing the teenager dominate last year’s FAI Cup final.
O’Riordan missed a chance to nail down a top three seed in Friday’s draw when McCabe’s outswinging free-kick broke for the Celtic defender as the clock ticked away.
The fouls kept coming as Tamara Morácková flung a forearm into Campbell’s face. Martínez witnessed the act but decided a yellow card was sufficient punishment.
Leanne Kiernan eventually arrived on the scene, having been overlooked for much of the campaign, as the exhausted Payne was given a well-earned rest. That the prolific Liverpool striker must live off the fumes of this match shines a light on the growing strength of Pauw’s squad.
No Megan Connolly, no Niamh Fahey, no problem in the lakeside town of Senec as stifling summer temperatures made way for an autumn chill. The heroes reappear in early October for a date with destiny. The opposition will be revealed Friday lunchtime.
SLOVAKIA: Korenciova (Como); Košíková (Slovan Liberec), Vojteková (SC Freiburg), Lemešová (Wacker Innsbruck), Fischerova (IFK Kalmar), Horváthová (Czarni Sosnowiec), Maťavková (Club Brugge), Skorvánková (Montpellier HSC), Mikolajová (St Pölten), Šurnovská (Slavia Prague); Hmírová (Sporting de Huelva).
Subs: Semannová (Hellas Verona) for Maťavková (65), Morácková (FC Slovácko) for Hmírova (72), Panákova (Neulengbach SV) for Šurnovská (83)
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Brosnan (Everton); Scott (Birmingham City), O’Riordan (Celtic), Quinn (Birmingham City), Caldwell (Reading), Campbell (Liverpool); Ziu (West Ham United), O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Agg (London City Lionesses), McCabe (Arsenal); Payne (Florida State University).
Subs: Molloy (Wexford Youths) for Scott (68), Kiernan (Liverpool) for Payne (83)
Referee: María Martínez (Spain).
