Soccer

Ireland to face Wales in Euro 2025 playoff after comfortable Georgia victory

Ireland-Wales first leg will be in Cardiff on November 29th, second leg in Tallaght on December 3rd

Ireland’s Katie McCabe celebrates scoring the third goal of the game with Julie-Ann Russell and Abbie Larkin. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Ireland’s Katie McCabe celebrates scoring the third goal of the game with Julie-Ann Russell and Abbie Larkin. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Gavin Cummiskey at Tallaght Stadium
Tue Oct 29 2024 - 22:04
Euro 2025 playoffs: Republic of Ireland 3 Georgia 0 (Russell 3, Carusa 31, McCabe 54 – Ireland win 9-0 on aggregate)

The Republic of Ireland, with Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan inspiring everyone around them, made light work of Georgia as goals from Julie-Ann Russell, Kyra Carusa and McCabe got the job done in Tallaght.

What comes next will define this Ireland team’s legacy.

Qualifying for the World Cup last year made them pioneers. Naturally, they want to repeat the achievement by overcoming Wales in a two-legged play-off to reach the European Championships in Switzerland next summer.

Wales needed extra-time to progress past Slovakia, winning 3-2 on aggregate at Cardiff City Stadium. That is where Ireland must get a result in the first leg on Friday, November 29th before returning home for the second leg on Tuesday, December 3rd at the Aviva Stadium.

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Russell starting at left-wingback raised a few eyebrows until the Galway United striker scored inside three minutes. The goal was part planned, part off the cuff. McCabe dinked a ball into Carusa who found her fellow American-born attacker Marissa Sheva sprinting in behind the Georgian defence.

Tatia Gabunia parried Sheva’s shot but Russell was quickest to the breaking ball. She wheeled away snapping her fingers, the now established celebration that her infant daughter Rosie understands.

Russell had Georgia so frustrated down the right that Irina Khaburdzania was yellow carded for upending her moments later.

As news filtered through that Jess Fishlock had drawn Wales level 2-2 with Slovakia, Irish and Georgian players huddled for the unofficial end-of-first-quarter water break. Eventually, Ceri Holland scored the extra-time winner in Cardiff.

Back in Tallaght, a healthy crowd of 8,745 were entertained by the Sheva dropping into pockets of space, which encouraged McCabe and O’Sullivan to bomb forward.

[ Katie McCabe gets over penalty woe as ‘bleedin’ deadly’ Ireland enjoy dead rubber ]

The second goal, like the first, showcased Ireland’s quality. Anna Patten’s disguised pass prompted Jessie Stapleton to pull off a back-heel flick for Carusa to shoot on sight.

They refused to let up with Carusa winning a penalty off a clumsy Mariam Kalandadze challenge, but McCabe curled the spot kick into the Tallaght night. Oops. Goal kick.

With Ireland leading 8-0 on aggregate, it was time for some half-time reading.

“The job of head coach is to win matches and qualify for tournaments,” wrote David Courell, the FAI’s new chief executive in the match programme. “As CEO it is incumbent on me to take a longer-term view to ensure future generations have the platform and potential to exceed expectations also.

“For that to happen we need increased Government investment into the infrastructure of Irish football. This is critical to enabling us to deliver our ambitious player pathway plan.”

Courell continued the FAI policy of asking the public to lean on “local politicians” in advance of the upcoming General Election, to fund Irish football via the FAI. What he did not mention was the discontinued weekly training sessions for the best League of Ireland players, either on the cusp of a move abroad to play professionally or part-timers forced to hold down a day job as a football industry does not exist on this island.

“We all showed up, religiously,” said Karen Duggan, the former Ireland midfielder. “It was our only taste of professionalism.”

Ireland manager Eileen Gleeson is constantly asked about a vital link in the women’s football chain being snapped on her watch. Besides confirming that a plan exists to create a home-based under-23s squad, as each international camp comes and goes, Gleeson is put in an increasingly awkward position. Everyone presumes the regression is due to financial constraints but the association refuses to explain.

“Our women’s national team are inspiring a nation by what they are producing on the pitch and how they conduct themselves as role models off it,” Courell added. “We need to continue providing for them and the next generation coming behind them.”

Impressive words, disconnected from reality on the ground.

Republic of Ireland's Kyra Carusa celebrates scoring. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA
Republic of Ireland's Kyra Carusa celebrates scoring. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA

Lily Agg replaced Aoife Mannion at the break, which allowed McCabe sit behind Carusa and wait for a moment to atone for her penalty miscue. Nine minutes into the second-half she combined with O’Sullivan from a short corner to punish Gabunia at the near post.

Heather Payne, Izzy Atkinson, Leanne Kiernan and Ellen Molloy were smart replacements by Gleeson as the Everton, Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Sheffield United players brought energy to a dead rubber.

All four clearly want to feature in Cardiff. Molloy, now 20, was making her first appearance in green since 2022. She almost grabbed a magnificent fourth Irish goal.

Ireland: Brosnan; Mannion (Agg 46), Patten, Hayes; Larkin (Atkinson 58), Stapleton, O’Sullivan, Russell (Molloy 83); McCabe (Kiernan 72), Sheva; Carusa (Payne 58).

Georgia: Gabunia; Kadagishvili, Kalandadze, Gasviani, Chkhartishvili; Narsia, Danelia, Bukhrikidze; Khaburdzania (Ambalia 59), Bakradze (Bebia 59), Cheminava (Pasikashvili 88).

Referee: Katalin Kulcsar (Hungary).

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent