Soccer

Amber Barrett issues timely reminder of her talents

Republic of Ireland striker notches hat-trick for Standard Liege in Belgian cup quarter-final

Ireland’s Amber Barrett celebrating after her goal against Scotland in Hampden Park sent Ireland through to the 2023 World Cup final. Photograph: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Ireland’s Amber Barrett celebrating after her goal against Scotland in Hampden Park sent Ireland through to the 2023 World Cup final. Photograph: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Mary Hannigan
Sun Dec 08 2024 - 18:48

At the end of a thoroughly miserable week for the Republic of Ireland, the bulk of the players who were involved in that Euro 2025 play-off defeat by Wales were back in action with their clubs at the weekend.

And after being left on the bench for that second leg in Dublin on Tuesday, Amber Barrett gave a reminder of her eye for goal with a hat-trick for Standard Liege in the quarter-finals of the Belgian Cup.

Barrett was one of three Irish internationals who lined out for Standard in the game, Claire O’Riordan and Aoife Colvill the others, and she rescued them with a late equaliser against Westerlo in normal time before completing her hat-trick in extra time.

Colvill put Standard 2-1 with her first goal for the club, the Australian-born striker having joined them from Glasgow City last summer. She hasn’t played for Ireland since being given her debut by Vera Pauw in 2021, the 23-year-old attempting to rebuild her career after an injury-blighted few years.

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Another striker with a point to prove is Saoirse Noonan who hasn’t featured at all under Gleeson despite being, by some distance, the highest-scoring Irish international this season.

She scored her 15th of the campaign for Celtic on Sunday, although it came in a 13-0 pulverising of Glasgow Women in the Scottish Cup. In the same competition, Emily Whelan, who hasn’t featured for Ireland in a year, maintained her scoring streak for Glasgow City in their win over Patrick Thistle.

With much of the talk around the national side now being about a possible raft of retirements, the focus switches to what talent is coming through. On that front, there was encouraging news from the WSL where 17-year-old Eve O’Carroll made her competitive debut for Manchester City when she came on in their 4-0 win over Leicester.

The English-born midfielder, whose parents are from Derry, is already an underage Republic of Ireland international, making her under-19 debut in October having previously played at under-17 level.

She came through City’s academy the last two years and featured for the senior side during their preseason tour of Australia. She has yet to sign a professional contract, but will be hopeful of being offered one after this breakthrough.

O’Carroll became the 11th Irish player to make a WSL appearance this season, Hayley Nolan having made it 10 earlier in the day when she returned for Crystal Palace after needing surgery on a shoulder injury sustained in pre-season. There was no joy, though, for Nolan, nor for Abbie Larkin and Izzy Atkinson who were unused subs, Palace losing 5-2 to West Ham. That result leaves them bottom of the table.

At the other end of that table, Arsenal stay in third on goal difference from Manchester United, four points behind Manchester City and another five behind runaway leaders Chelsea.

Katie McCabe had a typical Katie McCabe day in Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa: she was in contention for the player of the match award, she set up Stina Blackstenius’s goal with a perfect through ball, she was booked in the 89th minute for a foul, and was fortunate enough not to be sent off a minute later after a run-in with Villa’s Noelle Maritz. Never a dull moment.

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan is a sports writer with The Irish Times