Nov 22,2024
Ruesha Littlejohn, Megan Campbell and Megan Connolly are back in the Republic of Ireland squad for the Euro 2025 play-off against Wales, but Eileen Gleeson is without injured centre-half Louise Quinn.
Quinn missed the play-off semi-fnal defeat of Georgia with a hip problem and has not recovered in time to feature tomorrow week, when Ireland travel to Cardiff for the first leg before welcoming the Welsh to Dublin's Aviva Stadium the following Tuesday.
Ellen Molloy (hamstring) also drops out of the squad, as does Cork City's Eva Mangan, but the return of an experienced trio is a lift for Gleeson.
Littlejohn and Connolly both played their part in the 3-1 win against France at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last July but haven't figured since. Connolly was forced to drop out of the Georgia games due to a hamstring complaint.
Meanwhile Campbell came off the bench against England at Carrow Road but has also been unavailable for the last three games. Her presence - and that famous long throw - is a welcome sight for fans of the Girls in Green.
There are other injury-enforced absentees: Lucy Quinn (ankle), Jamie Finn (knee) and Jess Ziu (knee) are unavailable. However there's enough strength in depth in the Ireland panel for Gleeson to be content as she heads into a defining two games.
Wales boss Rhian Wilkinson named her 26-strong squad on Wednesday, with their inspirational veteran Jess Fishlock hoping to lead the country to a first major women's tournament appearance.
Sunderland attacker Ellen Jones comes in for Aston Villa's Charlotte Lee in the only change to Wales' squad that squeezed past Slovakia in the play-off semi-finals.
Republic of reland squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (London City Lionesses), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic)
Defenders: Jessie Stapleton (Sunderland, on loan from West Ham United), Diane Caldwell (FC Zurich), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Caitlin Hayes (Celtic), Anna Patten (Aston Villa), Megan Campbell (London City Lionesses)
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina Carolina), Megan Connolly (Lazio), Lily Agg (Birmingham City), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Ruesha Littlejohn (London City Lionesses), Heather Payne (Everton), Marissa Sheva (Portland Thorns), Izzy Atkinson (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Amber Barrett (Standard Liege), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Julie-Ann Russell (Galway United)
