Beware the inverted wing backs. Finland came to Dublin, flinging a curve ball at Ireland that required a calm video session at half-time to turn the tide.
That it was still 0-0 makes up for all the hard luck days this team has experienced in Kyiv and other lost cities down the decades.
“Obviously with the change of manager they looked to have our full backs inverted which overloaded our midfield area,” Katie McCabe helpfully explained. “It left Denise and Ruesha flat at times and we couldn’t get a lot of pressure on the ball so I was having to cover inside and when they lowered their winger I would have to push out again.
“They were trying to drag us out of certain positions.”
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It almost worked. McCabe cleared one shot off the line, Courtney Brosnan saved another as Ireland weathered the powerful Finnish belief that they were the superior entity. In the last 12 months, Ireland have beaten Finland twice to rise six places in the Fifa rankings, up and above their vanquished opponents.
“I wasn’t worried, I knew we hadn’t got going. Once we figured out the overload in midfield and got them turned, got up the pitch to get our set-pieces going, I knew we would turn it on its head.”
The victory means so much to so many people who have gone before McCabe and this World Cup playoff bound Irish team.
“I love that we wear our heart on our sleeves when we play for our country.”
“Relief,” the captain continued. “This is something we have been trying to achieve for so long. I’ve heard stories about how they almost got there. It was always the almost, so for us to say we are in the hat in a few weeks for a playoff position … we are there, we have given ourselves a chance.
“I am just so proud. I mentioned to the girls in the huddle it is not just about who is here now, it is everyone that went before us, the Emma Byrnes, Ciara Grants, Yvonne Treacys, Olivia O’Tooles. It is those sort of people that have done what they done in the past for us to be here where we are today.”
Vera Pauw, the elated Ireland manager beamed a smile that betrayed her relief.
“We celebrate here, but we do not party,” she said
After her media duties the Dutch coach hugged the FAI officials before telling everyone she was away to “find her friends”.
That sort of night. Permutations and calculations come on Friday morning but – deep breath – if Norway beat Belgium, Serbia cannot overcome Portugal, Austria are held by England and Ireland beat Slovakia on Tuesday in Senec a bye to the playoff finals can be secured. Definitely, maybe.
“We had the chances but I think Ireland defended really, really well in the last 30 metres,” said Finland coach Marko Saloranta, who expressed disappointment about being reduced to 10 players when Emma Koivisto was receiving treatment leading up to Lily Agg’s goal. The new coach was unable to remember Finland scoring in Helsinki when McCabe was being treated off the pitch.
“That’s how it works,” said McCabe, “the football gods …”
Swings and roundabouts, the Ireland players danced into the night. Celebrating without partying. No easy task.
