Video
Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 September 2022 | 5:00 pm | Women's World Cup Qualification | 2022/23 |
Match Report
Ireland secure Round 2 World Cup Qualifying spot with win in Slovakia
The Republic of Ireland ended their World Cup qualifying campaign with a win and in doing so booked their place in the second round of the playoffs.
The only goal of the game came in the 37th minute. It was Jess Ziu that started the move, Heather Payne cut the ball back and Denise O’Sullivan fired to the net to give Ireland the lead. Played in front of a crowd of almost 500 spectators in Senec.
Ireland began to press from early on but no chances of note were created as Ziu, Payne, and McCabe were involved in a lot of play. The home side enjoyed a spell of possession themselves but failed to trouble Ireland.
The first half was scrappy at times as neither side could get a real hold on the game and neither keeper was called into action as they kept their goal intact.
The first chance in the game didn’t arrive until the 21st minute with Dominika Škorvánková with a low drive that went wide. Two minutes later and Ireland had their first effort but Katie McCabe’s shot didn’t trouble Maria Korenčiová.
As the half went on Ireland grew more into the game. Louise Quinn’s knockdown fell to Diane Caldwell in the 33rd minute. Four minutes later they broke the deadlock through O’Sullivan. Just before the break, Katie McCabe had a chance but it just went wide.
Ireland showed well for the ball at the start of the second half. McCabe made a break and put a ball into the box but no one was able to connect with it. On the hour mark, the Tallaght girl hit a shot from outside the box that just dropped over the bar.
Claire O’Riordan saw her shot cleared in the 73rd minute as Ireland looked to double their advantage. Slovakia offered very little and possessed no real threat to Ireland. Substitute Tamara Morávková tried her luck in the 84th minute but her strike sailed over the bar.
As the clock ticked down Ireland still put the pressure on while also trying to deny the Slovakians an equaliser.
Timeline
| 37' | 10. Denise O'Sullivan | |
| 22. Diana Lemešová | 61' | |
| Ľudmila Maťavková Stela Semanová | 65' | |
| 68' | Harriet Scott Ellen Molloy | |
| Patrícia Hmírová Tamara Morávková | 72' | |
| 10. Martina Šurnovská | 78' | |
| 28. Tamara Morávková | 80' | |
| 83' | Heather Payne Leanne Kiernan |
Past Meetings
 
(Elite Qualifying)
1 - 1WU17 International
Tallaght Stadium Ireland 1-1 Slovakia |
1 - 1Women's World Cup Qualification
Tallaght Stadium Republic of Ireland v Slovakia |
2 - 1Women's World Cup Qualification
Tallaght Stadium Republic of Ireland v Slovakia |
0 - 2Women's World Cup Qualification
Stadion Antona Malatinskeho Slovakia v Republic of Ireland |
1 - 0Women's Senior
Tallaght Stadium Republic of Ireland v Slovakia |
2 - 0Women's Senior
Stadion Antona Malatinskeho Slovakia v Republic of Ireland |
0 - 1Women's World Cup Qualification
Stadion Antona Malatinskeho Slovakia v Republic of Ireland |
2 - 0Women's World Cup Qualification
Tallaght Stadium Republic of Ireland v Slovakia |
Ground
| Stadion Antona Malatinskeho |
|---|
| CITY ARENA - Štadión Antona Malatinského, 8833/1, Športová, Tulipán, Trnava, Region of Trnava, Western Slovakia, 917 01, Slovakia |
Deniese O'Flaherty
Deniese is a freelance sports journalist/broadcaster. She has worked for several local and national media outlets. GAA and soccer are her great loves and she also follows rugby league and snooker. She's a big supporter of her local clubs St. Mary's GAA Granard and Longford Town. She also follows Celtic, Liverpool and Leeds Rhinos. She presented and produced a popular sports podcast last year where she interviewed Ray Houghton, Chris Kamara and John Hartson. Deniese is currently Head of Communications for Boccia Ireland
A win for Ireland and they are into round 2 of the play-offs
Ellen Molloy and Leanne Kiernan have done well since they were introduced
Moravkova's shot sails over the bar
Heather Payne makes way
Leanne Kiernan is on
Great tackle from Megan Campbell
Moravkova is booked
Martina Šurnovská
McCabe plays a perfect free into the box but ref believes there was a foul and Slovakia win a free out
Heather Payne worked so hard there but unfortunately not able to get a decent strike
McCabe with an effort but it's wide
Claire O'Riordan's effort is cleared. Good ball in from McCabe
Hmirova makes way
Moravkova is on
The corner hits the side netting
It leads to another corner; Caldwell deflecting it out
Slovakia have a corner
Harriet Scott is off
Ellen Molloy is on for Ireland
Maťavková goes off
Semanova on for Slovakia
Denise O'Sullivan with a good block
Dangerous challenge from Lemesova on McCabe and she's booked
So close from Katie McCabe.
Ireland have started this second half well. Lots of showing for the ball
McCabe makes a break, she cuts the ball into the box but no one able to connect with it
Half-time here and Ireland lead 1-0
McCabe with a chance, just wide
Megan Campbell's long throw leads to an Ireland corner
Ziu did so well and it was O\'Sullivan who reacted well to the loose ball and she slotted home
GOALLLLLLLL
Diane Caldwell with a chance but it's just wide. Louise Quinn with the knockdown
McCabe is really getting into this game
Good defending from Louise Quinn
Ireland applying pressure
Denise O'Sullivan with a shot but it's blocked down
Agg goes up for the corner but no contact.
Katie McCabe wins Ireland's first corner
Corner floated in but headed away by Louise Quinn
Slovakia with the first corner of the game
McCabe with Ireland's first effort on goal but keeper gets down to it
Škorvánková with the first shot on goal but it's wide
Slovakia enjoying a spell of possession
Game a bit scrappy now
No chances of note.
Ball into the box but it goes over the head of Payne.
Scott with a free after McCabe was fouled.
O'Sullivan is dispossessed but Brosnan comes out of her goals quickly to gather
O'Riordan with a ball in but keeper is out to fist the danger away.
Ireland have started brightly
And we are underway in Senec
It's a first competitive start of Lily Agg. She scored the vital goal on Thursday night. Harriet Scott starts her first game since October 2020 and Claire O'Riordan makes her first competitive start since June 2018. Diane Caldwell wins her 90th cap.
Three changes to Thursday\'s side. Jamie Finn is suspended while Ruesha Littlejohn and Megan Connolly are out through injury. In come Lily Agg, Claire O’Riordan and Harriet Scott
Having secured a play-off spot last Thursday with a 1-0 win over Finland, a win for the Irish girls would see them bypass the first round of the play-offs and go straight through to the second round.
Welcome to Final Whistle's coverage of Slovakia v Republic of Ireland. I'm Deniese O'Flaherty and I'll be keeping you updated.