Canada 2 Republic of Ireland 1
Katie McCabe’s gang started like a train but long before the finish they were swamped by tears.
This bolshie, endearing group have been cut loose from the World Cup, first by the hosts beating them 1-0 and now the Olympic champions calmly weathering a fierce storm – literally and metaphorically – before out thinking and ultimately outclassing the girls in green.
The story of McCabe’s corner will never fade. The first Irish goal at a World Cup. A mini-masterpiece.
But first, we need to mention her near misses. As Ireland pursued Canada late on, McCabe created a chance from nothing; Tallaght’s most famous daughter dummied inside and away from the end line to almost fashion the equaliser.
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Unlike her 96th-minute shot against Australia in Sydney last Thursday, there was 10 minutes to spare. But she had to do it herself. The shot was firm yet blocked by Shelina Zadorsky.
McCabe came again. Pickpocketing Quinn, the mononymous named Canucks midfielder, but the shot was weakened by weariness and the weather.
“We are heartbroken with this result,” said McCabe.
Bursting with bravery, Ireland were jaded by the hour mark. About 90 per cent of the 17,065 attendance were Irish folk who have made Western Australia home. It helped immeasurably.
[ Canada 2 Ireland 1: As it happenedOpens in new window ]
Christine Sinclair, the game’s greatest goalscorer, was dropped from Bev Priestman’s starting line-up. The striker is three years older than her coach but Priestman knew precisely when and how to utilise the Canadian legend, who she compared to Michael Jordan pre-match.
As Ireland’s initial resistance withered, Sinclair and Sophie Schmidt, two half-time subs, carved out space and time for Manchester United’s Adriana Leon to snatch the winner. McCabe was the last defender – a problem in itself – but the skipper’s lunging tackle could not deny Leon.
It was around this time, 54 minutes, that Australia stuck the knife into Irish dreams.
Belief and hope surged from a corner. Nothing sweeter than McCabe opening Ireland’s World Cup account with an angled effort. Three minutes were clocked when Lucy Quinn stormed down the right and sent a low cross into Kyra Carusa. The San Diego native made contact but San Diego Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan scrambled the ball around the post.
The misty rain straightened and then swirled making the Perth Rectangular stadium feel like a ship all at sea. Captain McCabe took the helm, whipping the corner high into the night sky as a despairing Sheridan got fingertips to the ball before it nestled in the goal.
McCabe spun away with arms spreadeagled and a look on her face that suggested the inevitability of the moment.
Written in the stars. All season, the Arsenal winger has threatened to conjure such alchemy at the World Cup.
Ireland, branded “aggressive” and “physical” by their opponents pre-match, were nothing of the sort.
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Denise O’Sullivan’s subtle reading of the play was ably assisted by Sinead Farrelly showing early and repeatedly for possession. Both midfielders had clear sights of goal before half-time. So unlike a Vera Pauw team, both let fly from distance.
No luck.
Lucy Quinn had the best 45 minutes of her career, twisting in field and drawing fouls from Ashley Lawrence.
Ireland dominated until the 30th minute when McCabe cleared a Canada corner but the ball was sent back into the box for Kadeisha Buchanan to flick on to Vanessa Gilles who volleyed over from two yards.
On the stroke of half-time, as sheets of rain cloaked the ground, another McCabe corner led to another Farrelly shot with no back lift. Buchanan took the brunt of the effort and Canada survived.
Then disaster. A minuscule lapse in concentration by Megan Connolly saw Julia Grosso’s cross spin into the Ireland net. Own goal. Suddenly Pauw was on the edge of the manager’s area willing a halt to proceedings as Jessie Fleming began to control the contest.
Half-time was welcomed by a torrential downpour. Everyone sought shelter but the second half felt like a new day. The rain disappeared but so did Lucy Quinn, replaced by Abbie Larkin.
“I reminded them they were Olympic champions at half-time,” said Priestman. “These moments build character. It was like playing an away game, like a rehearsal for the Australia game. It is a great moment for us. Credit to Ireland, they took us to the wire in the first half.”
Priestman’s words landed. So did her three subs. Visibly shook, Niamh Fahey rolled a clearance beyond Áine O’Gorman, an error that gifted Jordyn Huitema a shot on Brosnan. The Everton goalkeeper saved brilliantly.
Canada smelled blood. Another O’Gorman misstep allowed Schmidt to thread a pass for Leon to hold off McCabe: 2-1 felt like 4-1. Ireland were hemmed into their own territory. O’Sullivan was chasing shadows by the hour mark as the World Cup spinned away from the Cork midfielder, from all of them, as the Canadians relaxed and began to devour minutes.
Pauw had to react. O’Gorman made way for Marissa Sheva. The 26-year-old was excellent in the final throes, proving that she has a bright future in green.
The crowd began to thin. Perth is a dawn to dusk type of town. Coffee shops open at 5am and close by 3pm. People had work in the morning.
There were fleeting moments of hope. Ruesha Littlejohn forced the issue and her speedy back-heel invited McCabe to fire a cross but Carusa headed high and wide.
In came Amber Barrett. Nothing fell for the Donegal woman. Louise Quinn was thrown forward, an agricultural approach against a team that knows instinctively how to win. They exist on Olympic podiums. Ireland deserve to exist in their company.
IRELAND: Brosnan (Everton); O’Gorman (Shamrock Rovers), Fahey (Liverpool), Lou Quinn (Birmingham City), Connolly (unattached), McCabe (Arsenal); Farrelly (NJ/NY Gotham), O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Littlejohn (unattached), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City); Carusa (London City Lionesses).
Subs: Larkin (Shamrock Rovers) for Lucy Quinn (h-t, Sheva (Washington Spirit) for O’Gorman (59 mins), Atkinson (West Ham United) for Littlejohn, Barrett (Standard Liege) for Carusa, Agg (London City Lionesses) for Farrelly (all 66).
CANADA: Sheridan (San Diego Wave); Gilles (Lyon), Buchanan (Chelsea), Riviere (Manchester United), Lawrence (Chelsea); Quinn (OL Reign), Grosso (Juventus), Fleming (Chelsea); Huitema (Ol Reign), Leon (Manchester United), Viens (Kristianstads DFF).
Subs: Zadorsky (Tottenham Hotspur) for Buchanan, Schmidt (Houston Dash) for Grosso, Sinclair (Portland Thorns) for Viens (all h-t), Lacasse (Benfica) for Leon (58 mins), Chapman (Houston Dash) for Riviere (94)
Referee: Laura Fortunato (Argentina).
