Details

Date Time League Season
27 June 2022 5:00 pm Women's World Cup Qualification 2021/22

Match Report

WNT: Ireland hit Georgia for nine

The Republic of Ireland Women’s National Team have taken a huge step to qualifying for the 2023 World Cup, as they dominated their Group A tie with Georgia this evening, Katie McCabe with a hat-trick in the nine goal contest.

It was not quite the 11-0 whitewash in Dublin, but a result that gives hope and ambition ahead of the visit of Finland, tonight's result was far from their sparkling best but a 9-0 result is one they will be happy with.

McCabe was instrumental with two assists adding to her goal tally, but Louise Quinn and Megan Connolly also pulled the strings for the Irish outfit, Niamh Fahey and Abbie Larkin also netting their first International goals in the win.

It took just six minutes for the Georgian net to ripple, lovely link up play saw Denise O’Sullivan free just outside the box, she spotted Katie McCabe drifting to the left of the area unmarked, the pass was executed well and McCabe took a moment to pick her spot and rifle the ball high into the roof of the goal.

The visitors were dominating the tie and a Megan Connolly, corner to the back post was met by Louise Quinn, she got on the end of it and sent the ball across goal where Niamh Fahey nodded home from close range her first International goal, two to the good after 13 minutes.

McCabe turned provider for the third goal of the evening, her corner delivered a looping effort into the area where Megan Connoly poached to finish from close range, completely in control of the tie at this stage, they were still searching to increase their goal difference.

The tempo started to flatten as the half wore on, Ireland becoming a little lacklustre at times but Georgia goalkeeper Tatia Gabunia, was doing her best to thwart the girls in green, clearing crosses and making some key saves, her best of the opening half was to save a McCabe shot from distance onto the crossbar.

Despite controlling the game in terms of possession and the chances, Ireland would be disappointed to go in 3-0 at the break, but from their tenth corner of the night Connolly opted to go short to McCabe,, who chipped a wonderful effort over Gabunia into the back of the net, a 4-0 margin at half time looked to be the insurance of taking home three points.

Just four minutes after the restart, four turned into five as Quinn, who created the second goal of the evening, got on the end of a Connolly cross at the back post to power home a wonderful header, the intensity levels upped already from their half-time team talk.

Again the foot looked to be taken off the gas as Ireland failed to convert their chances, but into the final quarter of an hour the goals came in abundance, Quinn headed home her second of the evening after 73 minutes, McCabe with another perfect delivery this time from a free kick saw the defender convert.

Shortly after McCabe got her second assist, she would complete her hat trick as Connolly was having a sensational night of passing, teed up the Arsenal women for a lovely close range finish, Connolly completing a hat trick of Assists.

Abbie Larkin was the next player to get their first International goal, the Shelbourne attacker finding the back of the net after her ex Shels teammate Jessica Ziu, headed a Dianne Caldwell long pass into her path to head home from close range.

Georgia failed to pose much of a threat, forcing Courtney Brosnan into just one save all evening, a much better clinical performance in the second half was wrapped up by Denise O’Sullivan, the Cork native collecting a Lucy Quinn cross, turning the defender before side footing the goal bound effort.

Ireland

1Courtney Brosnan Goalkeeper
2Jessica Ziu Midfielder
4Louise Quinn Defender 49', 73'
5Niamh Fahey Defender 13'
6Megan Connolly Midfielder 18'
7Diane Caldwell Defender
8Ruesha Littlejohn 17 Midfielder
9Amber Barrett Forward
10Denise O’Sullivan Midfielder 90+3'
11Katie McCabe Midfielder 6', 45+1', 75'
14Heather Payne 22 Forward 47'
16Grace Moloney Goalkeeper
23Megan Walsh Goalkeeper
3Chloe Mustaki Defender
12Saoirse Noonan Forward
13Aine O’Gorman Forward
15Lucy Quinn 14 Forward
17Lily Agg 8 Midfielder
18Claire O’Riordan Defender
19Roma McLaughlin Midfielder
20Eabha O’Mahony Defender
21Ciara Grant Midfielder
22Abbie Larkin 14 Forward 82'

Timeline

  • 94'

    Full Time in Georgia and Ireland now go to Dublin to take on Finland in great spirits after this one way affair

  • 93'

    Denise O'Sullivan makes it nine, a close range finish that goes into the net, 20-0 on aggregate from the two games

  • 90'

    Four minutes added time

  • 82'

    Abbie Larkin gets her first ever goal in International football, a beautiful finish by the 17 year old

  • 75'

    Immediately its seven as McCabe completes her hattrick a lovely finish inside the area

  • 73'

    Six for Ireland, Quinn heads home a McCabe free kick

  • 64'

    Lily Agg has the ball in the end but it is ruled out for a handball in the build up

  • 61'

    Triple change for Ireland, Lucy Quinn, Lily Agg and Abbie Larkin come in for Heather Payne, Ruesha Littlejohn and Amber Barrett

  • 56'

    Denise O'Sullivan has a great chance at goal but again Gabunia down well to save

  • 49'

    And its five for Ireland, Louise Quinn with a powerful header at the back post from a Connolly cross

  • 47'

    Heather Payne with an early yellow card in the second half

  • 45'

    Second half is underway

  • 46'

    Deserved lead at the break for Ireland, but they should be ahead by more as this tie is one way traffic at the moment, they have been sloppy late in the half but look highly unlikely to surrender this lead

  • 46'

    From their tenth corner of the night, Megan Connolly goes short to McCabe who lobs the keeper from just inside the edge of the area, as the referee blows for half time

  • 45'

    One minute added on

  • 38'

    Big chance at a fourth goal for Ireland, Katie McCabe hits one from outside the area, but Tatia Gabunia saves wonderfully onto the bar, it goes out for Irelands eight corner of the tie

  • 33'

    Ireland still in control here, very few chances but they are sniffing at creating more of a goal difference

  • 18'

    Another corner another goal for Ireland, McCabe\'s corner met by Megan Connolly and it is now 3-0 Ireland

  • 13'

    Niamh Fahey nods home her first International goal, after Louise Quinn wins the corner she is on hand to pounce and get the second goal of the tie

  • 10'

    Lela Chichinadze is shown a yellow card for a rough tackle on Jess Ziu

  • 6'

    Ireland draw first blood in the sixth minute and its Katie McCabe with a rocket into the top of the net

  • 1'

    Ireland kick us off in Georgia!

  • The Georgian minnows have named a much changed team for this evenings tie, Tatia Gabunia, Nino Chkhartishvili, Tamar Kvelidze, Mariam Danelia, Lela Chichinadze and Teona Bakradze are the six changes from the hammering in Dublin last year

  • Of the 27 player squad brought to Turkey, only 23 players could have been brought into the match day squad. Missing out are veteran striker Stephanie Roche, uncapped Durham Women's goalkeeper Naoisha McAloon, Shelbourne's Jesse Stapleton and Birmingham City's Jamie Finn.

  • Three changes for Ireland from the 1-1 draw in Sweden back in April, Diane Caldwell, Jessica Ziu and Amber Barret all come into the team this evening in place of Jamie Finn, Chloe Mustaki and Lucy Quinn.

  • Tonight could be a huge night for the future of Ireland's hopes at qualifying for their first major tournament, they need a huge three points if they are to jump into second spot with two games left, my name is Diarmuid Kearney and I will update you on the action in Georgia this evening

Past Meetings

11 - 0
Women's World Cup Qualification
Tallaght Stadium

Republic of Ireland v Georgia

Ground

Mikheil Meskhi Stadium
Tbilisi, Georgia

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.