Nov 29,2024
UEFA Euro 2025 play-off second round 1st leg
Friday, 29 November
Wales v Republic of Ireland, Cardiff, 7.15pm.
TV/PLAYER
RADIO
Listen to live commentary with an extended Game On programme on 2fm.
ONLINE
WEATHER
Mild for this time of year, with temperatures of around 9C, with the chance of passing showers.
History on the line for Ireland and Wales
Having never qualified for a tournament before, the Republic of Ireland now have a chance to qualify for consecutive tournaments.
Wales, who are aiming for a first trip to a major tournament, stand in their way having come through one of only two first-round ties that ended up going to extra time as they finally saw off Slovakia thanks to Ceri Holland's goal.
When Ireland qualified for the World Cup by beating Scotland just over two years ago, it was a winner-takes-all tie at Hampden Park. That's not the case this time around, with the second leg taking place at the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday evening.
There have already been over 20,000 tickets sold for that game in Dublin, and a decent result here for the Girls in Green would surely see that total head north over the weekend.
Over 15,000 people are expected in Cardiff for the first leg meeting.
The draw for Euro 2024 is set to take place in Lausanne at 5pm on 16 December.
Defensive reshuffle as trio recalled
The big squad news for Ireland is the absence of two players who would have fancied their chances for a starting place in Cardiff.
Louise Quinn, who has bags of experience in green, hasn't played for her club Birmingham since late October due to injury and misses out.
Fellow defender Aoife Mannion, who started in both games against Georgia in the first round of the play-off, has missed Manchester United's last three games and will also sit out the clash with Wales.
Eileen Gleeson updates @Corktod on her Ireland squad - including the departure of Aoife Mannion - and a potential role for Niamh Fahey against Wales #RTESport pic.twitter.com/CX8Sb1TNrn
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 28, 2024
Asked about the potential for veteran defender Niamh Fahey to step up if she's called upon, manager Eileen Gleeson suggested that the Galway native is in her thinking for her starting XI.
"Niamh's playing with a top club, she's training, she played against Newcastle (in the League Cup last Sunday)," the Ireland manager said.
"Niamh has great experience and we'll draw on that when she’s solid with the team, we’ll focus on that part of it. We’re well aware of the exposure she has in the training that she’s putting in, we’re happy with that."
Mannion's failure to recover from injury means that Gleeson is working with a 23-woman squad for the game, with Ruesha Littlejohn, Megan Campbell and Megan Connolly returning to the squad since that comfortable tie with the Georgians last month.
Similar squads prepare to do battle
There's just one Irish-based player in the Ireland 23, Galway's Julie-Ann Russell, with the majority of the squad plying their trade in England.
Of the rest, Diane Caldwell (FC Zurich), Caitlin Hayes (Celtic), Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina Carolina), Megan Connolly (Lazio), Marissa Sheva (Portland Thorns), Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave) and Amber Barrett (Standard Liege) are playing outside of the UK.
Wales have a similar squad make up, in terms of where the clubs their players play for are based. They have six who are playing outside the UK; Olivia Clark (Twente), Rhiannon Roberts (Real Betis), Charlie Estcourt (DC Power), Angharad James (Seattle Reign), Carrie Jones (IFK Norrköping), and Jess Fishlock (Seattle Reign).
Fishlock is the talismanic figure in the Welsh squad, with 156 caps since she made her debut all the way back in 2006. She's scored four goals for her country this year, and 46 overall.
Seeded Ireland looking to maintain head-to-head upper hand
Ireland have a good record against Wales, having won three and drawn one of their last five meetings. Most pertinently though, their only loss came in the most recent meeting between the sides.
Jess Fishlock and Lily Woodham scored the goals in a 2-0 victory for Rhian Wilkinson's side at Tallaght Stadium in February of this year.
"I don't think we learned anything that we didn't know," was Eileen Gleeson's take on that defeat - the first of her reign - this week.
"What we learned was about ourselves in that game. It was a friendly game, both teams using other players, different squads.
"What I do know is we’re a different team to what we were in February, Wales are also a different. You’re never the same team twice. And for us, it highlights to us the quality Wales have. I do think it will be an evenly matched tie and we’re looking forward to that."
