Ireland face into a do or die scenario against Olympic Champions Canada this afternoon in Perth, Western Australia as Katie McCabe leads her side into action knowing defeat would end their chances of emerging from Group B in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The build up to the game has centered on the availability of Louise Quinn, the central defender who plays her club football with Birmingham City has been one of Ireland’s key players over the last fifteen years amassing a century of caps as well as popping up with vital set piece goals for the girls in green along the way.
The Blessington born Quinn has barely trained since the defeat to Australia and has even been pictured wearing a protective boot as a precautionary measure this week. She did complete training yesterday and is expected to be fit to be selected to start today’s game.
Winger Heather Payne is also on the doubtful list wearing heavy taping in yesterday’s session but is also expected to be available.
Canada in comparison expect to have their star striker Jessie Fleming, a double scorer in the Olympic final available for selection after an injury saw her miss the opening game while will cause plenty of concern for the Irish defenders, particularly if Quinn doesn’t feature.
If fit she’s expected to replace the experienced Christine Sinclair, the record goalscorer in world football, with 190 goals in over 300 appearances for the Canucks.
While Bev Priestman’s comments about Ireland being a ‘horrible team to play against’ in yesterday’s press conference have stoked the fire with some supporters, but to be fair her assessment isn’t that far wrong as she attempts to work out a strategy to break down Ireland’s blanket defence.
A clumsy penalty for Australia was their only real opportunity in that opening game and the former English International is well aware that her charges will need to find something special to unlock a very mean defence who have only conceded ten goals in their last ten competitive games through qualifying and including four clean sheets in that spell.
Ireland’s lack of fire power has been much discussed since the omission of Liverpool striker, Leanne Kiernan from the travelling squad, the Cavan girl has missed most of the season through an ankle injury sustained on the opening day of her season ruled her out of their campaign but 13 goals from 24 outings in their promotion winning in the Championship in 21/22 shows her quality.
In her absence our three best attacking options have not set the world alight this season, Kyra Carusa has scored just once for London City Lionessess since her move in January, Amber Barrett failed to find the net in seventeen appearances in a disappointing relegation season with former European Champions Turbine Potsdam.
Promising teenager Abbie Larkin has only netted on four occasions for Shamrock Rovers in the League of Ireland, two less strikes than her fellow squad member and clubmate Aine O’Gorman who seems destined to remain as a replacement full back for this tournament despite being comfortably top of the League of Ireland all time scorers list.
Sometimes we need a reminder of the relative quality of the players available to the Irish management with players dotted around the leagues in England and the top of the NWSL in the states with the remainder of the extended squad competing for league titles in Ireland, Scotland, English Championship and Australian A-League, Ireland have players dotted across the world at the business end of their respective leagues. Ranked 22nd in the World ahead of this tournament, the women’s team are a different proposition to their higher profile male counterparts at 53rd in the FIFA rankings.
For the continued development of the game in this country Ireland need a result in this game, with Australia looking like dominating the group a draw for Ireland might be enough to set up a final day shoot out with Nigeria, but Canada will have plenty to say about that this afternoon.
