Girls in green: meet the Irish women’s soccer team

Vera Pauw’s side face eight-times European Champions Germany on Saturday

Ireland v Germany kicks off at 1pm, with live coverage on RTÉ 2 television. File photograph: Inpho
Ireland v Germany kicks off at 1pm, with live coverage on RTÉ 2 television. File photograph: Inpho

Marie Hourihan
Club: SC Braga
Born: London
Age: 32
Position: Goalkeeper
Caps: 23

Has been with Braga in Portugal since last year, having had earlier spells with Chelsea, Manchester City and Brighton, amongst many others.

Courtney Brosnan
Club: West Ham United
Born: New Jersey
Age: 24
Position: Goalkeeper
Caps: 1

Represented her native United States at under-23 level before declaring for the Republic in 2018. Was playing in France before joining West Ham last year.

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Niamh Reid-Burke
Club: Peamount United
Born: Dublin
Age: 29
Position: Goalkeeper
Caps: 5

The former national diving champion, who has won multiple honours at home with Raheny United and Peamount, made her senior Irish debut in 2014.

Harriet Scott
Club: Birmingham City
Born: Reading
Age: 27
Position: Defender
Caps: 20
Goals: 0

Already a qualified physiotherapist, Scott is now in her third year of studying medicine at Keele University. Was the 2018 Irish Player of the Year.

Louise Quinn
Club: Fiorentina
Born: Wicklow
Age: 30
Position: Defender
Caps: 79
Goals: 11

The 2019 Player of the Year has been a regular at the heart of the defence since making her debut 12 years ago. Joined Fiorentina from Arsenal during the summer.

Diane Caldwell (SC Sand)
Club: SC Sand
Born: Dublin
Age: 31
Position: Defender
Caps: 76
Goals: 3

Her career has taken her to the United States, where she was on a scholarship at Hofstra University, Iceland, Norway and Germany where she now captains SC Sand in the Bundesliga.

Claire O'Riordan
Club: MSV Duisburg
Born: Limerick
Age: 25
Position: Defence
Caps: 15

Played Gaelic football and camogie for Limerick before focussing on soccer, her big break coming when she was signed by Bundesliga side MSV Duisburg in 2018.

Aine O'Gorman
Club: Peamount United
Born: Wicklow
Age: 31
Position: Wherever she's needed - can play anywhere.
Caps: 102
Goals: 13

Retired from international football in 2018 after winning 100 caps, but returned to the Irish set-up in March of this year.

Niamh Fahey
Club: Liverpool
Born: Galway
Age: 32
Position: Defence/Midfield
Caps: 90

Republic of Ireland defender Niamh Fahey joined Liverpool from Bordeaux in 2018. File photograph: Getty Images
Republic of Ireland defender Niamh Fahey joined Liverpool from Bordeaux in 2018. File photograph: Getty Images

A three-time Irish Player of the Year and former Galway Gaelic footballer, Fahey is now captain of Liverpool after earlier spells with Arsenal, Chelsea and Bordeaux.

Jamie Finn
Club: Shelbourne
Born: Dublin
Age: 22
Position: Midfield
Caps: 1

One of the National League’s stand-out players, the former Irish Under-17 captain made her senior debut away to Greece last November.

Denise O'Sullivan
Club: Brighton (on loan from North Carolina Courage)
Born: Cork
Age: 26
Position: Midfield
Caps: 77
Goals: 11

Having enjoyed a hugely successful spell in the United States, O’Sullivan made her English Super League debut last weekend with Brighton who she has joined on loan.

Alli Murphy
Club: London City Lionesses
Born: Plano, Texas.
Age: 26
Position: Midfield
Caps: 0

This is the American's first call-up to the squad after her club manager Lisa Fallon informed Vera Pauw that she has an Irish passport, courtesy of her Limerick-born grandparents.

Niamh Farrelly
Club: Peamount United
Born: Dublin
Age: 21
Position: Midfield
Caps: 2

The former Irish under-19 captain, who was named the 2018 Under-19 Player of the Year, made her senior debut against Belgium last year.

Megan Connolly
Club: Brighton
Born: Cork
Age: 23
Position: Midfield
Caps: 23
Goals: 1

Another to have come through the American scholarship route, Connolly joined Brighton last year after four successful years at Florida State University.

Megan Connolly of Brighton and Hove Albion in action against Manchester United earlier this year. Photo: Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images
Megan Connolly of Brighton and Hove Albion in action against Manchester United earlier this year. Photo: Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images

Hayley Nolan
Club: London City Lionesses
Born: Kildare
Age: 23
Position: Midfield
Caps: 0

After a successful spell in the United States, where she was on a football scholarship at the University of Hartford, Nolan joined London City in August.

Ruesha Littlejohn
Club: Leicester City
Born: Glasgow
Age: 26
Position: Midfield/Forward
Caps: 56
Goals: 6

Another widely-travelled member of the squad, the former Scottish youth international joined Leicester this summer from West Ham.

Ellen Molloy
Club: Wexford Youths
Born: Kilkenny
Age: 16
Position: Forward
Caps: 0

Molloy only turned 16 in June, but such has been her form for Wexford Youths in the new season, she has earned her first senior call-up.

Katie McCabe
Club: Arsenal
Born: Dublin
Age: 25 next Monday
Position: Forward
Caps: 45
Goals: 9

A key member of the senior team since making her debut in 2015, the versatile Irish captain has also established herself at Arsenal where she signed a new long-term contract last year.

Heather Payne
Club: Florida State University
Born: Roscommon
Age: 20
Position: Defence/Midfield
Caps: 11

Took the reverse route to many of her team-mates, moving first to England to Bristol City before taking up a scholarship in Florida where she plays in division one of the national college league.

Leanne Kiernan
Club: West Ham United
Born: Cavan
Age: 21
Position: Forward
Caps: 19
Goals: 4

Scored an FAI Cup final hat-trick for Shelbourne when she was just 17 and was brought in to the senior Irish squad in the same year. Joined West Ham in 2018.

Amber Barrett
Club: FC Koln
Born: Donegal
Age: 24
Position: Forward
Caps: 18
Goals: 2

A prolific goalscorer for Peamount United, Barrett earned a move to Germany’s Koln last year, signing a contract extension with the club during the summer.

Rianna Jarrett
Club: Brighton & Hove Albion
Born: Wexford
Age: 26
Position: Forward
Caps: 10
Goals: 1

Another who scored goals for fun during her time with Wexford Youths, Jarrett, whose career has been blighted by serious injuries, moved to Brighton back in January.

Kyra Carusa
Club: HB Hoge
Born: San Diego
Age: 24
Position: Forward
Caps: 1

Declared for Ireland earlier this year and made her debut in March in the 3-0 Euro qualifier win away to Montenegro. Plays with HB Hoge in Denmark.

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan is a sports writer with The Irish Times