Wales were deserved winners of this Euro 2025 play-off on aggregate and, like Ireland two years ago, will now qualify for their first major championship. The worry here is that the sport may slip back into the shadows.
Anna Patten’s 85th-minute header offered Ireland hope of a miracle having fallen 2-0 behind; Megan Campbell’s astonishing throws the prospect of a prayer; Leanne Kiernan and Denise O’Sullivan went close, oh so close. But it was all too little, too late.
Ultimately, the fates did not conspire. The gods are never available to swing sporting contests.
Heart and effort were non-negotiable; a lack of cutting edge in front of opponents’ goal, and persistent fallibility in front of their own, came back to haunt the Irish.
Ireland will have a shedload of regret as they look towards a tournament-free summer. Everything that had been building since that World Cup Down Under was ostensibly designed with these two fixtures in mind.
The failure will now end some wonderful careers without a celebratory send-off and, presumably, that of the management.
Hannah Cain’s 50th-minute penalty, awarded after a VAR check, augmented by Carrie Jones’ 67th-minute breakaway strike, punished Irish profligacy and a startling lack of composure until a final flurry that seemed driven more by chaotic emotion rather than constructive design.
Wales had blinked even before kick-off, withdrawing Ceri Holland from their line-up despite her satisfaction with her role in tussling with the Irish captain Katie McCabe.
Ireland did not blink until it was too late, only making their first changes when already two goals down.
Wales had spent much of the weekend ruminating on the temerity of the Irish spoiling their attempts to play the beautiful game; now they were keen to ensure Josie Green would prevent McCabe from propelling her side.
And obviously try to annoy her too; that would come later and almost worked a treat. Mostly, McCabe’s ball-playing ability shone. It had taken 17 seconds from McCabe’s first touch to force an Ireland corner; intent, it seemed, would not be a problem. How could it not be, with so much at stake?
On the other flank, Heather Payne won a second corner; within two minutes, the Irish wing-backs had attacked more than in the entire away leg.
Control would be their principal ally but they struggled to master it; indeed, Welsh veteran Jess Fishlock would have the first effort on target, a pallid 15th minute effort easily gathered by Courtney Brosnan.
Ireland manager Eileen Gleeson
McCabe’s booking, five minutes after it should have happened when she kicked the ball away at a Welsh free, reflected a contest that was imperceptibly not going to Ireland’s plan.
Conviction was required and Denise O’Sullivan unearthed some after good work from Kyra Carusa, smashing the angle of crossbar and left-hand post from 25 yards out midway through the half to awaken the crowd, and stir her side.
Luckily for Olivia Clark, the ball did not embarrass her as it has done on Friday; even luckier, still, she almost immediately watched McCabe’s stunning effort, also from range, pass the same left-hand post.
A quick throw-in provided Carusa another assist, this time Julie-Ann Russell did well to create space in the area to turn Hayley Ladd and deliver an arcing curler; Clark sprung superbly to flick it away and, for the second time on the night, Payne couldn’t convert the rebound.
Welsh threat was always evident, especially if aided by Irish indiscretion; Lily Woodham’s free had to be palmed around for a corner after Littlejohn had conceded possession, then a free.
Ireland didn’t clear the corner and Courtney Brosnan was required once again to claw a Rhiannon Roberts shot to safety. McCabe should have seen red before the break but for the empathy of the Spanish whistler.
This was the mood, between the sidelines benches too. Fraught, heightened anxiety, reflecting the tumult of the teeming showers. An unnoticed tug of Carusa’s shirt by Roberts frayed nerves still more.
A screaming half-volley from Niamh Fahey that was just wide reminded all that anything was possible as McCabe berated an assistant referee as she led her side down the tunnel.
Ireland’s reliance on width was clear as their ability to construct passing patterns remains under-developed; they were clearly the better team, now to show it.
Denise O’Sullivan, right, and Katie McCabe stand dejected after Ireland’s defeat to Wales. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
The calamitous penalty concession from Anna Patten would require something even more substantial; Brosnan unable to reproduce her Hampden heroics.
Now Wales were in control from an all-too-commonplace defensive error; the free leading to the penalty had been a dumb concession too. Irish composure rocking. Their basic skills were deserting them in a game, and outcome, accelerating away from them with every passing moment.
They applied pressure that Wales naturally invited given their lead; O’Sullivan went close but then Welsh captain Angharad James should have secured the tie on a breakaway only for Brosnan to keep the tie alive.
Such was the nervous balance of the game. The Irish bench remained unmoved, aside from the constantly chirping goalkeeper coach, Emma Byrne, who was booked. McCabe went down as we entered the third quarter when she thought she was fouled but wasn’t; the referee decided again not to book her.
Within seconds, it hardly seemed noteworthy as the Irish disintegrated once more; four players honeypotting in midfield before Caitlin Hayes failed to deal with sub Carrie Jones, who finished with a calmness her opponents were sorely lacking.
Patten’s 85th-minute header, after a slew of late subs, held out the hope of a late miracle but it never came.
IRELAND: Brosnan; Payne (Larkin 84), Patten, Hayes (Campbell 72), Fahey, McCabe capt; Littlejohn (Connolly 72), Stapleton, O’Sullivan; Russell (Kiernan 72); Carusa (Atkinson 85).
WALES: Clark; Roberts, Ladd, Evans, Woodham (Holland 72); Griffiths (Powell 82), James capt; Rowe, Fishlock (Jones 64), Green, Cain (Morgan 63).
REF: Marta Huerta De Aza (Spain)
