For a multitude of reasons – no matches in the schedule, postponed games due to frozen pitches, teams in pre-season – just 10 of the 23-strong Republic of Ireland squad named last week by Vera Pauw started for their clubs over the weekend, with another four coming off their respective benches.
Few players, though, had a more memorable weekend than one omitted from that squad – as Parma’s Niamh Farrelly put it herself, “three points, my first goal for the team and my first Italian interview”.
The former Irish under-19 captain, who won the last of her four senior caps against Australia back in September 2021, scored her first goal for Parma – a long distance zinger – in their 3-1 win over Sampdoria, a result that lifted them three points clear of the bottom of Serie A.
And then the Lucan woman put her Leaving Cert Italian to fine use by conducting her post-match press conference in said language. Impressive.
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Tyler Toland, another omission from the Irish squad (don’t mention the war), came on for the last 20 minutes of Levante’s 5-0 trashing of Levante Las Planas, a result that maintains their remarkable season, keeping them third in La Liga behind Real Madrid and leaders Barcelona.
Irish eyes, though, were largely fixed on St Andrew’s, where seven – seven! – of the Irish squad were involved in the Championship meeting of Birmingham City (Harriet Scott, Louise Quinn, Jamie Finn and sub Lucy Quinn) and London City Lionesses (Lily Agg, Hayley Nolan and sub Kyra Carusa). London City prevailed, their 1-0 win keeping them top of the table ahead of Bristol City on goal difference.
Up in the Super League Irish captain Katie McCabe was left on the bench once again by Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall for their 2-1 defeat by Manchester City, her introduction after half time failing to avert a defeat that saw the team drop out of the top four and leaves them six points adrift of leaders Manchester United, although with a game in hand.
At the other end of the table Brighton are now just two points clear of bottom club Leicester – who beat Liverpool – after their 6-2 mauling by Aston Villa. Megan Walsh lost her place in goal to new signing Lydia Williams, the Australian international now getting a flavour of the defence Walsh has played behind all season, one that has conceded 39 goals in 11 games, 10 more than the next worst record in the league.
