Once Katie McCabe deals with the small matter of Arsenal taking on Wolfsburg at the Volkswagen Arena in the Champions League quarter-final, the focus switches to unlocking a yet to be confirmed boys Under-15s side.
Shelbourne Under-15s, managed by Ken Kiernan, previously provided training ground opposition for the Republic of Ireland coach Vera Pauw, with similarly well drilled teenage boys being sought to mimic the mighty Sweden ahead of a fascinating World Cup qualifier in Gothenburg on April 12th.
All before McCabe continues her dizzy rise up the European club ladder as 90,000 Barcelona fans potentially welcome the Gunners to the Camp Nou for the semi-final first leg on April 23rd. All in a day’s work for the Ireland skipper who has been in sensational form for both club and country this season.
Not that Sweden, nor the 14 year-old Dublin boys, will afford her any breathing space. Same goes for Denise O’Sullivan, who hopefully arrives fresh from the North Carolina Courage’s busy preseason when the squad gathers on Tuesday in Castleknock, because Pauw cannot afford any more injuries, particularly in defence now that Dianne Caldwell (arm) and Savannah McCarthy (knee) have been ruled out.
“It’s heart breaking,” said Pauw of McCarthy’s injury. “For her personally especially. It’s a severe injury and we’ll do everything to help her recover. She was a different type of defender than the other two in the centre three. That’s why she was so important.
“First of all she’s a left-footer, but secondly she’s a completely different player. If you want to step up to the highest level you need different kinds of central defenders with all the abilities. You need a very mobile terrier in that centre three. We need to see how we solve that.”
Liverpool duo Niamh Fahey and Megan Campbell are expected to feature in the back three alongside Louise Quinn but the most interesting selection headache has to be goalkeeper - following Megan Walsh’s excellent debut against Russia in February.
The 27 year-old former England underage ‘keeper displayed all the attributes Ireland will need against the Olympic silver medallists and considering Sandy MacIver is keeping Courtney Brosnan out of the Everton team, a changing of the guard looks like the logical call.
Sweden will qualify for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand by maintaining their 100 per cent record in Group A with Pauw already conceding the chance to catch them came and went last October in Tallaght when a deflected goal by McCabe’s club mate Stina Blackstenius secured all three points.
“The big chance was the first game. If you’ve seen them playing recently, all their players are fit. The first game they were missing a few players, they were just coming out of the Olympic Games so every player was very tired. Now you can see in their play they are fresh, they are lively, they are exciting to watch. It’s a great challenge and we’re looking forward to it.”
Realistic
Sweden scored seven goals against Denmark and Portugal in recent tune ups before beating Italy on penalties to capture the Algarve Cup.
“Nobody ever had an idea that we could qualify first in the group because if you have the second team in the world, it is not realistic, and then we should have won the first game,” said Pauw, taking a similar stance to Stephen Kenny during last year’s failed World Cup qualifying campaign. “At the end we will see what the score is. We will not collapse, that is one thing.”
Ireland’s rescheduled away trip to Georgia on June 27th, ahead of Finland in Dublin and Slovakia away next September will determine whether McCabe’s side enters the October play-offs by finishing second in the group.
Pauw has called up London City Lionesses midfielder Lily Agg, after it was discovered that the 28 year-old’s grandmother Bridget Green hails from Cork.
There are six League of Ireland players on the 27-strong panel with Peamount United’s Áine O’Gorman and Shelbourne’s Jessica Ziu competing for the right wing back position. Ziu (19) joins West Ham United this summer.
Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (Reading), Megan Walsh (Brighton and Hove Albion), Eve Badana (DLR Waves)
Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Claire Walsh (Glasgow City), Chloe Mustaki (Shelbourne), Megan Campbell (Liverpool), Áine O’Gorman (Peamount United).
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion), Ruesha Littlejohn (Aston Villa), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Ciara Grant (Rangers), Jess Ziu (Shelbourne), Lily Agg (London City Lionesses), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Isibeal Atkinson (Celtic).
Forwards: Heather Payne (Florida State University), Kyra Carusa (HB Hoge), Amber Barrett (FC Koln), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Ellen Molloy (Wexford Youths), Abbie Larkin (Shelbourne).
