Republic of Ireland 0 - 2 Netherlands | 2019 - FIFA Women's World Cup | 999943744

FIFA Women's World Cup FIFA 2019 WWC Qualifying | Tallaght Stadium, Dublin

10 Apr 2018 19:00

Republic of Ireland 0 - 2 Netherlands

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REPORT: Ireland WNT 0-2 Netherland WNT

Colin Bell’s Republic of Ireland Women’s team went down the European champions 2-0 this evening in front of a record breaking attendance of 4,047 at Tallaght Stadium.

10th Apr 2018

Netherlands enjoyed the majority of possession throughout the game and took the lead in just the 11th minute. Jackie Groenen found space on the right flank, delivered a fantastic cross that found Lineth Beerensteyn who headed home past Marie Hourihane.

Just over ten minutes later the European champions had their second of the evening. Diane Caldwell was adjudged to fouled Danielle van de Donk close to the edge of the area and referee Stephanie Frappart pointed to the spot much to the dismay of the Irish defence.

Sherida Spitse stepped up to send Hourihan the wrong way and put the Dutch in a commanding position.

Spitse almost got her second with 32 minutes on the clock. The midfielder created space and thundered a right footed shot off Hourihan’s post from all of 30 yards.

Hourihane was called into action once again two minutes into the second half as she brilliantly tipped Danielle van de Donk’s driven free kick onto the crossbar.

The introduction of Amber Barrett gave Colin Bell’s side another outlet up top alongside Leanne Kiernan, but the Dutch defense kept the home side from creating any clear cut chances.

The win sees Netherlands move three points ahead of Bell’s Ireland team at the top of the table. Next up for the Girls in Green is a clash with Norway in June at home with the reverse fixture taking place four days later.

WNT Head Coach Colin Bell said: "We're very disappointed. There were two goals which we shouldn't have conceded and if everything had gone right tonight, we could have come away with the draw.

"We just lack that little bit of experience and quality in certain moments but that will come. I'm extremely proud of the way my players have conducted themselves throughout this campaign and that doesn't change because of a defeat.

"The players have now got to refocus and go again in the back-to-back games against Norway. They need to go away to their clubs, get games and get fitter, and come back ready to get the results we need.

"It has been fantastic over the past two games to see two record attendances. The support has really meant a lot to all of the squad and players, and it's fantastic for the women's game in this country."

Republic of Ireland: Hourihane; Perry-Campbell, Quinn, Caldwell, Duggan; Boyle-Carr (Barrett 46), Connolly (Littlejohn 72), Fahey, McCabe ©; O’Sullivan, Kiernan.

Substitutes: Budden (GK), Prior, McLaughlin, Atkinson, Beirne.

Netherlands: van Veenendaal; Jansen, van der Gragt, Janssen, Worm; Groenen, Spitse, van de Donk; van de Sanden (Roord 69), Beerensteyn, Martens.

Substitutes: Vreugdenhill (GK), van Lunteren, Zeeman, Dekker, Miedema, van Dongen.

Referee: Stephanie Frappart (FRA)

Ireland WNT: Bell praises 'quality' Netherlands

Republic of Ireland Women's National Team Head Coach Colin Bell believes the Netherlands are the 'best team in world women's football' ahead of the FIFA 2019 World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

9th Apr 2018

The WNT face the Netherlands at Tallaght Stadium as they look to take more points off the European Champions after their 0-0 draw in November.

Ireland are currently unbeaten in their qualifying campaign, second in the Group Three table, and level on points with tomorrow's opponents after the 2-1 win over Slovakia on Friday.

There was a record 3501 attendance for the win over Slovakia at Tallaght Stadium and Head Coach Bell hopes the crowd turns out once again to get behind the team.

"It is going to be tough, no question about that. They're the European Champions and despite the result in November, you look at their results over the past year, it is a huge task," said Bell.

"They will be gunning for us as well. We saw them put seven past Northern Ireland on Friday and they've got so many threats all across the park.

"We've got to be in the game though. We need the crowd to come out once again and get behind every tackle and every shot for the entire 90 minutes. They were brilliant on Friday and we'll need them once again to get a result tomorrow."

The WNT Head Coach faces a selection headache as both Leanne Kiernan and Amber Barrett scored against Slovakia on Friday. Aine O'Gorman trained with the squad at Tallaght Stadium today but won't be match fit for tomorrow's game due to illness.

"We're extremely stretched at the moment. We've got very few options with the injury situation but the players proved on Friday that they can cope with it," Bell continued.

"We've got a couple of variations on how we are going to play and I'll have to look at it tonight to see what we will start with. I've been extremely impressed with the players in training as it has been a long week for them with the two games.

"They've got to recover and ready for the game as we can have no passengers tomorrow. They are the best team in world women's football at the moment so every player has to leave everything out there on the pitch to potentially cause a sensation."

TEAM NEWS: Aine O'Gorman and Claire O'Riordan won't be fit for the game with illness. Galway WFC winger Aislinn Meaney has been brought into the squad to replace Tyler Toland who fractured her wrist earlier in the week.

Republic of Ireland WNT Squad

Goalkeepers: Marie Hourihan (Manchester City), Amanda Budden (Cork City), Amanda McQuillan (Shelbourne)

Defenders: Sophie Perry-Campbell (Brighton and Hove Albion), Diane Caldwell (SC Sand), Louise Quinn (Arsenal), Niamh Fahey (Bordeaux), Niamh Prior (Shelbourne).

Midfielders: Megan Connolly (Florida State University), Karen Duggan (Peamount United), Denise O'Sullivan (NC Courage), Roma McLaughlin (Shelbourne), Amy Boyle-Carr (Sion Swifts), Aislinn Meaney (Galway WFC).

Attackers: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Leanne Kiernan (Shelbourne), Amber Barrett (Peamount United), Isibeal Atkinson (Shelbourne), Ruesha Littlejohn (Celtic), Aine O'Gorman (Peamount United), Claire O'Riordan (Wexford Youths), Dearbhaile Beirne (UCD Waves)

FIFA 2019 World Cup Qualifying Group Three - Fixtures

April 10: Republic of Ireland v The Netherlands, Tallaght Stadium, KO 7pm