Nov 30,2024
It's honours even after a predictably bruising international derby in Cardiff.
Wales drew first blood with a clinically taken Lily Woodham goal following a Niamh Fahey error, but the Republic of Ireland are nothing if not resilient. Ruesha Littlejohn's long-ranger crashed off the bar and found its way into the net off the back of the unfortunate Olivia Clark to level things up.
That’s how it stayed as the two sides effectively cancelled each other out. Ireland return to Aviva Stadium on Tuesday with every chance of getting over the line and making it to a first ever European Championships. But Wales will fancy their chances too having shown they possess enough to make things nervy for Eileen Gleeson’s side when they resume battle in Dublin.
That game might be the sort of blockbuster we were never going to get tonight. First legs are usually phoney wars, and so it proved. A rousing rendition of Land Of My Fathers energised the crowd but the early action was passive and scrappy.
The home attacking trio of Jess Fishlock, Ffionn Morgan and Rachel Rowe whirled around on a rotating carousel, looking for cracks in Ireland’s five-player defensive setup. There were flashes of promise for both teams, but nothing of real substance in those opening exchanges.
The hard-working Kyra Carusa intelligently nodded Fahey’s searching pass into the path of Julie-Ann Russell, who should have done better than scooping a rushed effort wide. Carusa did well again to escape down the right and fizz in a cross for Russell – this time the Galway United star’s volley was blocked by Rhiannon Roberts.
Ireland looked reasonably secure but on 20 minutes they got caught rotten by sharp play and sloppy defending. A collective lapse in concentration allowed Fishlock to escape down the right and fizz in a cross that was horribly miskicked by Fahey. It spun off her boot and fell kindly for Woodham who produced a quality first-time drive that whistled past Courtney Brosnan.
It was an adrenaline shot for Wales. The crowd got noisy; Ireland tried to respond.
Payne rode a challenge after a one-two with O’Sullivan but could only bend her cross into he arms of Olivia Clark. Russell had another effort smothered following more good work from Carusa and O’Sullivan.
Ireland were slowly turning the screw, but the 35th-minute equaliser, when it came, was a bolt from the blue. Littlejohn – who hasn’t scored for her country in eight years – unleashed a dipping effort from 30 yards that Clark acrobatically tipped onto the bar. Luck deserted the keeper, as the ball ricocheted off her head and bounced over the line.
GOAL IRELAND
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 29, 2024
35mins: WAL 1-1 IRL
Ruesha Littlejohn's long-range effort leads to Ireland's equaliser as the ball deflected in off Wales keeper Olivia Clark.
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Ireland took control of the contest after that, containing the ever-dangerous Fishlock and subduing Holland, who had been a menace on the right.
Level at the break, Gleeson made a change – and a statement of intent. On came the more attack-minded Marissa Sheva for Agg. However lax Irish play almost cost them again when Fahey’s clearance was headed back into the path of Morgan. She had time and space outside the box to have a go, but her strike lacked conviction and screwed wide.
Whenever Ireland needed someone to settle them down, it was Littlejohn’s steady hand that soothed them. She was terrific in the middle of the park, the oil in a midfield engine that largely spluttered and toiled.
Welsh threats still materialised. Just after the hour mark, Roberts powered in a header that the well-placed Littlejohn cleared before Carrie Jones bent in a rising effort that Brosnan plucked from the top corner.
Tempers flared with just over 20 minutes to go when Littlejohn caught Rachel Rowe with a stray arm. A furious Fishlock confronted the 34-year-old, who responded with a shove. Both players went in the book.
Brosnan had to be sharp to save the Fishlock free-kick that came from that melee, but the Girls in Green almost pinched a second minutes later when Caitlin Hayes swivelled on a dropping ball in the area and unleashed a sweet volley that Clark superbly tipped over.
That was the visitors’ best moment of the second half, and it was Wales who looked more likely in the closing moments. Deep into stoppage time, Rowe’s cross from the left glanced off Jones’ head and skidded to safety.
Ireland survived. Now it’s back to the Aviva.
Wales: Olivia Clark; Gemma Evans, Hayley Ladd, Rhiannon Roberts; Lily Woodham (Charlotte Estcourt 89), Angharad James-Turner (capt), Alice Griffiths (Carrie Jones HT), Ceri Holland (Josephine Green 80); Jess Fishlock, Rachel Rowe, Ffionn Morgan (Kayliegh Barton 71)
Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Anna Patten, Niamh Fahey, Caitlin Hayes; Heather Payne, Ruesha Littlejohn (Jessie Stapleton 79), Lily Agg (Marissa Sheva HT), Denise O'Sullivan, Katie McCabe (capt); Julie Ann Russell (Leanne Kiernan 79), Kyra Carusa (Amber Barrett 89)
Referee: Maria Caputi (Italy)
Attendance: 16,845
