The Republic of Ireland Women’s team now have a great chance of finishing third in their World Cup qualification group after back to back wins over Poland last week. The Girls in Green won 3-2 in Gdansk in midweek and on Saturday a goal from Marissa Sheeva secure all three points with 1-0 win over the Poles at the Aviva. The Netherlands top our group with 8 points, France are in second place with 7 points, while the Republic now have 6 points and Poland bottom with only 1 point.
The only downside following Saturday’s win is that Cork-born Denise O’Sullivan, the Player of the Match at the Aviva, will miss the next game against the Netherlands on June 5 after picking up her second yellow card. Emily Murphy, who scored in the win in Gdansk, will also miss the Cork game after getting a second yellow. O’Sullivan, who was winning her 131st Irish cap on Saturday, is naturally disappointed to miss such an important game in her home town. She said: “It is in Cork and it is a massive game for the team so of course, I am really gutted. But it’s part of football and it happens. I will take the positives and that’s the three points from this evening and I’m sure I will be in Pairc Ui Chaoimh cheering the girls on in Cork. I trust the staff and the players that they are going to go out and do everything in their power to get something from the Cork game and the final away in France.’’
The Netherlands are top of Group A2 and only the winners of the group qualify automatically, the second, third and fourth teams goes into a play-off. Our final game is away to France in Grenoble on June 9. Meanwhile Northern Ireland won 4-0 away to Malta on Saturday and they are also 3rd in their group with 6 points, behind leaders Switzerland on 10 points and Turkey with 7 points.
