Nations League: Republic of Ireland 1 (Noonan 19) Slovenia 0
The Republic of Ireland won the final match in Nations League B2 but it was mission accomplished for Slovenia.
The visitors top the group with a superior goal difference and go straight up to league A in 2026.
Ireland move towards an October promotion playoff, against Denmark, Belgium, Iceland or Austria – to enhance their seeding and chances of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
It was written in the Rebel stars. Saoirse Noonan came in from the cold, and after years of patiently waiting her turn behind Kyra Carusa, the former Gaelic footballer delivered on familiar terrain.
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In January 2020, Noonan wore Cork red in a rare national league tie for the women inside Páirc Uí Chaoimh. In international green, her powerful header had Ireland leading 1-0 at half-time.
Slovenia captain Dominika Conc won the coin toss and elected to play with a swirling wind behind her team. They also brought a physicality to the game, targeting Katie McCabe in particular, as this approach yielded a 4-0 victory at home last February.
Neither tactic was overly effective. Slovenia came to Cork to avoid a 4-0 loss. Nothing more.
Ireland drove into the gale, matching the Slovenians ferocity in duels to keep Slovakian referee Miriama Bockova on her toes.
The Carla Ward project is beginning to take shape. It took the urgency of needing four goals to deny Slovenia direct promotion. It also required several changes in personnel to finally make Ward’s fluid, 4-3-3 formation effective.
Abbie Larkin continued her impressive form, this time off the left wing, which gave McCabe space to pick a pass, while Emily Murphy was uncontainable down the right.
The back four had some shaky moments but Jessie Stapleton reasserted her value with some vital challenges and early crosses.
One such ball from the Sunderland right-back yielded the Noonan goal after 18 minutes.
Slovenia could not do what the Westmeath Gaelic footballers achieved in The Páirc five years ago: keep Noonan scoreless. Her powerful header came after McCabe’s ball cleared the box, and was picked up by Murphy near the sideline, with the winger laying off for Stapleton to curl a dream cross for the Celtic striker.
It could have been a rout. Anna Patten missed two close-range headers while Noonan, Kyra Carusa, Denise O’Sullivan, Megan Connolly, Larkin and Murphy all should have done better in and around the penalty area.
Stapleton and McCabe kept the aerial bombardment raining down on Zala Mersnik’s goal.
When Bockova remembered she had a yellow card in her pocket, Maja Sternad was booked for the least obvious foul on McCabe. Slovenia manager Sasa Kolman was also cautioned for dissent.
The most glaring defensive lapse by Ireland came just before the break when Conc put Lara Prasnikar clean through, only for Courtney Brosnan to deny the Eintracht Frankfurt forward with a fantastic save.
With patient possession football unable to break down a well organised low block, on the hour mark Ward unleashed the Megan Campbell Throw-Ins.
Interestingly, the aerial threats of Stapleton and Noonan were sacrificed as Amber Barrett also arrived.
In the 64th minute, Campbell used the full width of the hurling surface to fling one into the crowded box, where Caitlin Hayes nodded wide.
Murphy’s unorthodox style kept troubling the Slovenians left flank as a neat flick from Carusa saw her blaze over.
The second goal needed to come soon. When Hayes glanced a Connolly free kick wide of Mersnik’s far post, a Plan B from yesteryear looked like it was being revived.
During Vera Pauw’s time as Ireland manager, the search for a late goal to win or salvage a draw always saw Louise Quinn sent forward to tower over the opposition defence.
Before kick-off Quinn was presented with a memento to mark 17 years in green by the FAI CEO David Courell. 75 minutes later she began her warm up to win cap number 122.
When Quinn and Marissa Sheva were introduced for the last 10 minutes, too much time had ticked away. And anyway, Quinn played out the final days as a professional footballer as a defender.
In the final moments, Campbell’s long throws got the 9,423 crowd excited but Slovenia survived.
Ireland: Brosnan; Stapleton (Campbell 62), Patten, Hayes, McCabe; Murphy, Connolly, Larkin (Quinn 80); O’Sullivan, Carusa (Sheva 80); Noonan (Barrett 62).
Slovenia: Mersnik; Conc, Golob, Agrez; Kolbl, Makovec, Korosec, Prasnikar, Erzen; Sternad (Kajzba 68), Kramzar (Zver 88).
Referee: Miriama Bockova (Slovakia).
