The Republic of Ireland kept alive their hopes of earning direct qualification for next summer’s World Cup with a glorious blood-and-thunder defeat of the Netherlands at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.  Report courtesy of www.rte.ie

Carla Ward’s Girls in Green are the bottom seeds in the group, and yet they’ve defied all the odds to claw their way into a remarkable situation. If they beat France in Grenoble on Tuesday they are going to Brazil as group winners. Even if they fall short they’ll be seeded in the autumn’s play-offs.

This extraordinary success was built on heart, brains and resilience.

Kyra Carusa had Ireland ahead at the break, with Dominique Janssen levelling inside the last 20 minutes from the spot. Abbie Larkin restored the hosts’ lead before Victoria Pelova tied things up as the game headed for the climax.

A Dutch winner felt grimly inevitable, but Ireland simply would not wilt, and when Amber Barrett knocked in a 90th-minute winner, the Páirc shook with belief. Leanne Kiernan saw red in stoppage time, but the Girls in Green stood firm. They travel to France daring to dream an impossible dream. And how could you truly doubt their chances after this?

If world No 6-ranked France are to sink Ireland, as they’ll be expected to do in front of their own fans, they’re going to have to work for it.

A Status Yellow rain warning before the game was good news for the poncho sellers. It sheeted down by the Lee as the 12,569 in attendance gathered in the stadium’s north and south stands.

Ireland actually made a sleepy start. Lax pressing allowed the visitors to feed Janou Levels who fizzed in a cross from the left that was cut out by a sliding Cailtin Hayes. Soon after, Esmee Brugts – a key part of Barcelona’s Champions League triumph last month – flashed a curling effort just wide.

It was a stodgy opening; Carusa and Marissa Sheva were Ireland’s brightest creative sparks, but all the early quality came from the players in orange – Romee Leuchter looping an imaginative effort past the right-hand post after a lovely touch.

Ireland were starting to get boxed in. And then, in the 19th minute, they stitched together a move of terrific potency that’s becoming their signature. Two passes: Littlejohn to Larkin, Larkin to Carusa. Both were weighted perfectly, and though Carusa’s effort was not particularly clean, it was well placed, deceiving Lize Kop and trickling home.

The Páirc erupted; the Netherlands reacted waspishly. Lynn Wilms rattled Brosnan’s crossbar with a ferocious 25-yard strike. Then Wieke Kaptein shovelled a tame effort straight at the Ireland stopper from eight yards out.

As the heavens stayed open in Cork, the Netherlands struggle to adapt. They owned the ball but routinely overcooked passes, failing to read the greasy surface.

Ireland hung tough and as the contest wore on, they looked increasingly comfortable.

One up at the break, Ward would have been very satisfied. She made one change: Littlejohn off, Jess Ziu on.

Ziu’s last appearance for her country was almost two years ago at this venue against France. A month after that game, she suffered an ACL (her second in the space of two years).

She immediately helped Ireland to retain possession, twisting and jinking in tight spaces to take the sting out of any mounting Dutch pressure.

Conditions deteriorated but belief among the drenched home supporters grew. Every tackle was cheered, every small gain greeted with enthusiastic applause.

 

Just after the hour, hearts sunk into mouths when a wicked Brugts cross from the left caught the Irish defence flat. Lineth Beerensteyn ghosted in unchecked, only to steer her attempt from point-blank range into the shins of Brosnan. It was a typically excellent piece of goalkeeping from the 30-year-old.

She was at it again a few minutes later, acrobatically tipping over Jackie Groenen’s dipping strike from distance.

Ireland were starting to creak. On 68 minutes, they gave way. A move broke down when McCabe was dispossessed, Beerensteyn ran at the heart of an exposed rearguard and when Groenen checked inside, Aoife Mannion took her out with a mistimed tackle. Penalty kick. Janssen, the skipper, guided it past Brosnan.

Janssen ran towards the net to get the ball as the Dutch smelled blood. But this is an Ireland team with an abundance of guts. They hit back instantly. Sheva – absolutely immense throughout – darted down the right and drilled in a low cross that Larkin forced home from a tight angle.

Stunned for the second time on the night, the Netherlands angrily regrouped.

Nine minutes from time, they equalised again. This time substitute Pelova got the wrong side of Chloe Mustaki to latch on to a smart pass, checking inwards before sliding home a composed finish.

 

 

Ward rolled the dice, withdrawing defensive midfielder Megan Connolly for Celtic forward Saoirse Noonan.

And that gamble paid off in the 90th minute when the visitors failed to clear their lines off an Irish corner, Anna Patten flicked on Sheva’s clipped cross, and Barrett prodded home.

Delirium in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and the drama did not relent.

Kiernan picked up a second yellow after catching Marisa Olslagers high as she tried to volley clear a dropping ball.

But Ireland held out in the final stages to seal a famous victory and head to Grenoble for a winner-takes-all shot at booking a place in Brazil next summer.

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Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Aoife Mannion, Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes, Chloe Mustaki, Katie McCabe (capt); Megan Connolly (Saoirse Noonan 85), Ruesha Littlejohn (Jess Ziu HT), Marissa Sheva; Abbie Larkin (Leanne Kiernan 76); Kyra Carusa (Amber Barrett 76)

Netherlands: Lize Kop; Lynn Wilms, Dominique Janssen (capt), Veerle Buurman, Janou Levels (Marisa Olislagers 56); Damaris Eggurola (Jackie Groenen 56), Ella Peddemors (Danielle van de Donk 56), Wieke Kaptein (Victoria Pelova 765; Esmee Brugts, Lineth Beerensteyn, Romee Leuchter (Liz Rijsbergen 75)

Referee: Katalin Kulcsar (Hungary)

Attendance: 12,569