(Wales win 3-2 on aggregate)
The Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2025 dreams were shattered by Wales on an exhaustingly dramatic night at Aviva Stadium.
The Girls in Green got out of Cardiff with a 1-1 draw last Friday, and were fancied to finish off their Celtic cousins in front of a partisan Dublin crowd. But their hopes unravelled in gut-wrenchingly frustrating fashion.
Hannah Cain’s 50th-minute penalty, awarded for an Anna Patten handball, was a critical turning point; once Carrie Jones slid home a second 18 minutes later, the writing was on the wall.
Patten did get one back in the closing stages to set up a monumental finish, but Rhian Wilkinson’s team held on. Hungry, well drilled and clinical, they just about deserved their victory, with Ireland now forced to lick their wounds until their Nations League B campaign begins against Turkey in February.
Misty rain descended on Lansdowne Road as the curtain rose for kick-off.
There was a skittish energy about things from the off, but the Welsh didn’t take long to show what they were capable of. A loose Julie-Ann Russell pass allowed the jet-heeled Hannah Cain to skate down the right and whip in a cross that Niamh Fahey lashed clear.
Ruesha Littlejohn was then guilty of coughing up cheap possession that triggered a fluid break involving Jess Fishlock, Rowe and Cain. Patten scrambled it away in the nick of time, but that forward trio would continue to cause problems.
A nervy opening was encapsulated by Jessie Stapleton and Payne crashing into each other in the centre circle as they both fixed their eyes a dropping ball. Wires were crossed in the electricity of battle.
Page one of the Wales game plan was obvious: wind up McCabe. The Ireland captain went in the book on 17 minutes for scything down Josie Green, who had gone unpunished for tugging the Dubliner back seconds earlier.
It was a tense, gritty slog, but in the 23rd minute a flash of quality almost took the roof off. Carusa did well to twist inside and feed O’Sullivan, who gathered beautifully on the half turn before bending in a long-range effort that thudded off the bar. Lansdowne Road groaned in frustration. A couple of minutes later, McCabe lashed a sweet drive inches past the post. More groans, more frustration.
On the half-hour mark the impressive Carusa found Russell again, the Galway United striker dropping a shoulder before curling in a shot that Olivia Clark clawed away. Payne, pouncing on the rebound, chopped an effort wide.
Ireland had momentum, but Wales packed a powerful counter-punch.
Lily Woodham unleashed a dipping 25-yard free-kick that Brosnan batted away. The keeper bailed her defenders out again when the resultant corner wasn’t dealt with and Rhiannon Roberts drilled in a low effort on the swivel. Brosnan was so alert to tip it around the post.
McCabe was perilously close to getting a second booking after an ill-judged swipe at Rowe. No card, just a stern telling off.
That was a let-off, but three minutes into the second half, Ireland wouldn’t be so lucky. An Anna Patten handball when defending a deep free-kick was picked up on by VAR and Huerta De Aza pointed to the spot. Cain was cool as a cucumber to slide it past the wrong-footed Brosnan.
The gloves were off now. Staring down a barrel, Gleeson’s charges had to go for it. However that left gaps at the back that the excellent Rowe in particular exploited. She galloped clear on a heroic run, feeding in a sumptuous ball that evaded the sliding Cain by a yard.
They should have killed it on the hour following another breakneck counter that had Ireland badly caught short; this time Brosnan stood tall to deny James-Turner in a one on one.
Ireland began to look desperate, their attacks lacking purpose or rhythm. That was in contrast to the Welsh, who struck for the killer second goal in the 67th minute.
Woodham’s through ball caught out Hayes, who allowed substitute Carries Jones and stroke a low finish beyond Brosnan.
Gleeson emptied her bench: Leanne Kiernan, Megan Campbell, Abbie Larkin, Megan Connolly and Izzy Atkinson all entered the fray.
Four minutes from time, a lifeline. Patten’s header was nodded off the line by Roberts, but only as far as the Aston Villa centre half who converted the rebound.
The Aviva throbbed with noise. When the board went up to signal eight minutes of stoppage time, hope blossomed. Campbell launched a throw-in that caused panic, Ceri Holland toe-poking the ball past her own keeper only to see a recovering defender clear it off the line. Centimetres. That’s how close Ireland were forcing extra-time.
Luck evaded them on a feverishly dramatic night, and it’s Wales who are going to Switzerland.
Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Anna Patten, Niamh Fahey (Megan Campbell 72), Caitlin Hayes; Heather Payne (Izzy Atkinson 84), Ruesha Littlejohn (M Connolly 72) Jessie Stapleton, Denise O’Sullivan, Katie McCabe (capt); Julie Ann Russell (Leanne Kiernan 72), Kyra Carusa (Abbie Larkin 84)
Wales: Olivia Clark; Gemma Evans, Hayley Ladd, Rhiannon Roberts; Lily Woodham (Ceri Holland 72), Angharad James-Turner (capt), Alice Griffiths (Ella Powell 82), Josephine Green; Jess Fishlock (Carrie Jones 63), Rachel Rowe, Hannah Cain (Ffion Morgan 63)
Referee: Marta Huerta De Aza (Spain)
Attendance: 25,832
