Republic of Ireland v Zambia, Tallaght Stadium, Thursday, 7.30pm – Live RTÉ 2
Fresh from a low-key season when she was named in the Champions League XI and scored the WSL goal of the season, Ireland captain Katie McCabe has officially joined the World Cup squad.
However, the Arsenal winger will not feature in this penultimate warm-up match before Vera Pauw’s squad departs for Australia.
“Katie came in fresh but she’s only had two football sessions in her legs since the end of the week so it’s not likely she’ll play,” said the Ireland manager.
Any idea who will skipper the team instead?
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“Yes.”
Tell us?
“No. The players need to know first.”
Perhaps it will be Chloe Mustaki, who shared the stage with Pauw on Wednesday in Shamrock Rovers’ new media facility just 12 months after the 27-year-old left a consultancy job in investment banking to become a professional footballer at Bristol City.
“I got my undergrad, my masters and my work experience in,” said Mustaki.
“I felt the freedom to walk away at that point. Coming out of my Leaving Cert 10 years ago it wasn’t realistic for me to jump into a full-time set-up. The money wasn’t really there and I just wanted stability.
“Now I have no regrets. It was a different situation for me from the girls doing their Leaving Cert now. The world is their oyster. They have so many opportunities but that just wasn’t on the table for me back then. You look at Katie McCabe, she was my year and she is a star now, but only such a small percentage of girls realised that potential. There wasn’t room for us all to do it.”
McCabe’s absence diminishes the occasion and Ireland’s overall preparation, especially considering the three American-based players, Denise O’Sullivan, Sinead Farrelly and Marissa Sheva, do not land in Dublin until June 28th.
Their late arrival indicates that all three, including Sheva who only made her debut against China in February, will make the final 23-woman squad that Pauw announces next Thursday, June 29th.
Farrelly did not play professional football between September 2015 and April 2023 but her recent return for Gotham FC, formerly known as New Jersey Sky Blue, prompted Pauw to cap the Pennsylvania native against the USA earlier this year. The 33-year-old hit the ground running, instantly looking like an essential ingredient in Ireland’s transitional play.
Megan Campbell is also unavailable for the game but Pauw does intend to use Leanne Kiernan after the Liverpool striker’s recovery from ankle surgery.
“We did not bring Leanne in because of the 20 minutes [she has played since surgery],” said Pauw, “we brought her in to give her the time to grow. She is available, she is fit but how fit we will see tomorrow.
“There are also players we will protect who are coming back from injury because now is not the right time for them to be on the pitch, but Leanne will have some time on the pitch.”
Such is Kiernan’s natural ability, it seems inconceivable that the 24-year-old would miss out on the World Cup squad but stranger things have happened.
Heather Payne had been the manager’s preferred option as the lone centre forward ahead of Kiernan, until Kyra Carusa featured up top against the US as Payne’s athleticism was rerouted to right wing back.
Pauw’s starting XI and the players used off the bench will reflect the conundrums the Dutch woman must solve before nine of the current 32-strong panel are dropped. That number does not include Aoife Mannion as the Manchester United centre half is struggling to recover from an MCL knee injury.
“I know that I am going to break dreams, so that is not a nice feeling. This is really a preparation game for the World Cup and for the final squad selection and all the players know that. But we also try to keep our structure, so there is no chaos.”
Zambia come to Tallaght with a serious strike force in Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda. They were chosen as opponents that will mirror the style of Nigeria, who are Ireland’s third opponents in Group B, on July 31st at Lang Park, Brisbane.
Like Ireland, Zambia are preparing for their first World Cup after being drawn in Group C with Spain, Costa Rica and Japan.
Separately, and just 28 days out from the tournament opener against Australia in Sydney, Pauw’s contract negotiations with the FAI are being handled by Ciarán Medlar, a partner at BDO Ireland and current Shamrock Rovers chairman.
“Let me be clear, I’m very happy in Ireland. Everybody can see that. I want to stay.”
IRELAND (possible): Brosnan (Everton); Payne (Florida State University), Caldwell (Reading), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Fahey (Liverpool), Mustaki (Bristol City); Connolly (unattached), Agg (London City Lionesses), Littlejohn (Aston Villa); Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Kiernan (Liverpool); Larkin (Shamrock Rovers).
Referee: Caroline Lanssens (Belgium).
