Denise O’Sullivan on RTÉ: “It’s unbelievable, to do it in front of my family and the city I grew up in, and to score, it’s amazing. The amazing atmosphere, the fans have been fantastic, so hopefully we come back here.
“I think we caused most of our problems down the wings. Once we got that first goal, we gained a lot of confidence. We have to be realistic in the teams we’re coming up against. We wanted to be seeded in the playoffs, hopefully we can keep pushing.”
Eileen Gleeson: “I’m so proud of the girls, their workrate was fantastic. We created two or three chances we could have done better first half. The effort up front was incredible. What a result.
“We knew the squad they had, they have quality everywhere. I’m really pleased. I’ve known Julie-Ann for a long time, she never stops, and she showed that tonight.”
Gavin Cummiskey’s report to come.
Julie-Ann Russell with baby Rosie in her hands: “I just can’t believe it really. What a game, incredible. The fans were amazing, start to finish, just so happy. Both the goals in the past few games are for Rosie. Hopefully we can inspire other mums and keep more coming.
“Denise scored her goal so well, I’m so proud of her to score in her own county. My goal, the ball came over the top and I just went for it. To have family from Cork and to score here, it’s unbelievable.
Then baby Rosie takes the microphone. Cute.
FULL-TIME: Ireland 3 France 1
Historic victory for Ireland and Eileen Gleeson’s crowning moment so far! Victory against the second-ranked team in the world.
Terrific scenes in Páirc Ui Chaoimh. Lots of heroic performances, Russell and O’Sullivan with goals to round off great displays.
97 mins: Ireland dealing well with the final French attacks and they’re running out time. This would be Ireland’s first victory over France in their history. You have to back to 1981 for any victory in soccer over France, the Irish men beating them on a famous night at Landsdowne Road.
Ireland 3 France 1
93 mins: Julie-Ann Russell desevedly wins player of the match for her brilliant performance. Oles ring around Páirc ui Chaoimh. Nine minutes stoppage time, three minutes gone.
90 mins: Russell doing the hard work again as she closes Périsset down and manages to win a corner off her. Waste a few more minutes.
GOAL FOR IRELAND! That should be that. Great delivery from Connolly and Patten powers it home with a header off Geyoro. Fantastic. The crowd goes wild!
Ireland 3 France 1
87 mins: Big tackle by Agg to stop a France counter as Connolly prepares to come on. Killed a bit more time, as Bacha flies up the wing again but overhits the cross to Diani.
Ireland 2 France 1
84 mins: Oof, fizzing shot by Diani from outside the box and she just shaves the post. Let-off for Ireland.
Ireland 2 France 1
82 mins: Now then, can Ireland hang on? France are really piling on the pressure, their best attackers off the bench. Cascarino has a pop from distance but just over. Now it’s Katoto the PSG striker on.
79 mins: Goal for France! Becho with a scrappy finish but enough with Brosnan off balance. Irish defence bamboozled by a one-two from Diani and Cascarino.
Ireland 2 France 1
75 mins: GOAL FOR IRELAND! Unbelievable stuff. Russell with a brilliant goal. Dinked ball over the top by O’Sullivan, she turns inside on her left and fires into the top corner! Picaud is left hapless like Pagluica from Houghton in 1994.
Ireland 2 France 0
70 mins: Nearly an equaliser for France as their star player tonight Bacha nearly scores with a dipping shot just past the post. On comes Diani, France’s star attacker, from the bench.
67 mins: GOAL FOR IRELAND! It’s hometown hero Denise O’Sullivan with a great strike from outside the box! Russell chests down a long ball and lays off to O’Sullivan who powerfully places it in the corner from outside the box.
Ireland 1 France 0
62 mins: An injury for Lakrar, she comes off as does the other Cascarino twin. Geyoro and De Almeida on.
Ireland 0 France 0
59 mins: Chance for Ireland! Again they catch France napping on the ball, Russell wins the ball and Kiernan is through on goal. Under pressure from Samoura though she falls and claims a penalty but hard to see the contact.
Ireland 0 France 0
55 mins: Great dribble by Mannion through the middle and Ireland got numbers in the box but disappointing cross by McCabe.
Ireland 0 France 0
52 mins: Again a poor Ireland final ball, a counter attack with three on three but O’Sullivan’s pass was weak and intercepted.
Then a good chance for Ireland! Katie McCabe takes a quick throw and Ziu drives at the defence but shoots powerfully but straight at the keeper.
Ireland 0 France 0
49 mins: Kiernan having a good battle with Samoura and got the ball over her but Samoura’s pace and strength enough to recover the ball.
Ireland 0 France 0
In the other game that will affect seeding for the Euros playoffs, Poland are losing to Iceland, which is good news for Ireland.
46 mins: Delphine Cascarino is on for France from the bench, one of their best attackers and immediately shows her pace to run in behind and take a powerful shot at Brosnan which is saved well.
45 mins: Good pressing by Ireland as Samoura loses the ball but again their final ball is poor as Kiernan is through in the box but her cutback is blocked.
Half-time: Ireland 0 France 0
Decent pace to the game but not too many clearcut chances in Cork. But going to plan so far for Ireland.
39 mins: Great headed clearance by Louise Quinn from a dangerous cross as France are starting to turn the screw and create more chances.
Ireland 0 France 0
36 mins: Good delivery by McCabe from a corner, headed back on the back post by Hayes, some handball appeals but cleared by France. A replay shows they had a fair shout. A few moments later the excellent Bacha goes on a marauding run and nearly all the way through but well defended by Ireland.
Ireland 0 France 0
33 mins: Great strike by Bacha from about 30 yards, she fires it at Brosnan and just over the bar.
Ireland 0 France 0
30 mins: Baltimore loses the ball and Littlejohn plays in Russell on the counter but she passes it to nobody, wasted chance.
Ireland 0 France 0
27 mins: Ball over the top for Russell to run onto but she doesn’t do anything with it. A counter from France results in a shot by Le Garrec from distance but it’s over.
Ireland 0 France 0
24 mins: Good collect by Brosnan after a dangerous through ball but from the throw McCabe gives it away immediately and Bacha’s shot is just wide. Sloppy play by the captain there.
Ireland 0 France 0
19 mins: Chance for Ireland! Great play by Kiernan, won an aerial battle and then a sweet strike towards the corner but a good save by Picaud.
Ireland 0 France 0
17 mins: Shot for Ireland, Jess Ziu from the edge of the box but never threatening the goalkeeper after Russell won a header and Kiernan held the ball up.
Ireland 0 France 0
12 mins: France starting to become more threatening, Cascarino puts in a dangerous-looking cross but nobody there.
Ireland 0 France 0
9 mins: Some nice touches of flair from O’Sullivan so far, including a nutmeg to burst through the middle. The Cork crowd liked that one. Good covering by Ziu after an incisive pass through to Dufour.
Ireland 0 France 0
6 mins: Ziu gives away the ball on the edge of the box and Dufour shoots from the edge of the box but the shot is blocked by Quinn. The corner is safely defended.
Ireland 0 France 0
3 mins: Denise O’Sullivan puts the ball in behind and French goalkeeper Picaud is nervy with it under pressure from Russell and nearly gives it away. Then a nice through ball from O’Sullivan again, but Kiernan can’t get to it.
Ireland 0 France 0
Ireland captain Katie McCabe has been linked with a move to France, to top side Lyon, from Arsenal, which was reported in the Athletic. About the rumours, she said:
“I’ve seen the rumours and for a club like Lyon to be interested, it’s really nice, but I’m an Arsenal player. I have been for a long time and have full respect to my Arsenal fans and team-mates and the club as a whole. That’s the way it’ll be.
“As I said I’m an Arsenal player coming up to nearly nine years now. I love the club, I love what we have been able to do and the trajectory we went on. As I said, I’m an Arsenal player and that’s about it really.”
In his pre-match preview, Gavin Cummiskey writes that “A more accurate guide to where Ireland currently exist within the women’s game was visible at Carrow Road last Friday where O’Sullivan was the only Irish player able to live with the English on a technical level in a 2-1 loss.
“It gets easier in the coming months.”
[ Local hero Megan Connolly savours chance to take on France in CorkOpens in new window ]
Louise Quinn, Russell, McCabe and Kiernan come into the Ireland XI from the defeat to England. No start for Connolly then in Cork. It is a much changed French team with stars like Renard, Diani, Katoto, Geyoro on the bench, but still a team of considerable talent.
The teams have been announced:
Ireland: Brosnan, Quinn, Russell, Littjohn, D O’Sullivan, McCabe (capt), Patten, Mannion, Hayes, Kiernan, Ziu
France: Picaud, Lakrar, E Cascarino, Henry (capt), Le Garrec, Samoura, Bacha, Baltimore, Dufour, Périsset, Becho
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Euro 2025 qualifier between Ireland and France in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, kick-off at 6pm. Ireland have lost all five games of their incredibly difficult group so far, against three of the best teams in the world - France, Sweden and England. Not to worry, they will still have a playoff after this to try to qualify for the tournament, but would love to get some points on the board for this historic game in Cork. France are one of the best teams in the world with a team full of players from the successful Champions League sides Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain, with world-class players like Kadidiatou Diani, Grace Geyoro and Wendie Renard. France have already qualified for the Euros, which they did by beating Sweden in their previous match. For Ireland, talismanic Katie McCabe returns from suspension, while local heroes Denise O’Sullivan and Megan Connolly are set for an emotional night.
Ireland are already relegated to Nations League B but a seeded play-off to reach Euro 2025 can be achieved by finishing stronger than Poland. The Poles have zero points from five games in Group 4 and they take a minus-12 goal difference into their last game, at home to Iceland. Ireland have zero points and a minus-eight goal difference.
