
Georgia 0 - 9 Republic of Ireland

Chasing a Play-Off spot to reach the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Vera Pauw's team were 9-0 victors in Gori - which matched the scoreline that Ireland recorded away to Malta in 2003.
It turned out to be quite a night for The Girls in Green as Katie McCabe's hat-trick moved her up to second place in the WNT All-Time Goalscoring charts - one behind Denise O'Sullivan whose goal moved her onto 18 - and Louise Quinn joined Stephanie Roche in fourth place after she scored twice.
There was a first senior goal for 17-year-old Abbie Larkin and veteran defender Niamh Fahey also got her first goal on the evening of her 104th appearance. Megan Connolly - who was selected as Sky Player of the Match - got the other goal.
Having beaten Georgia 11-0 in Tallaght Stadium last November, Ireland warned in advance about complacency and ensured that they did not take anything for granted. A superb strike from distance after just six minutes set McCabe and Ireland on their way.
The goals kept on coming as Ireland dominated play, spraying their passes across the midfield, pressing high to win possession back and making clever runs off the ball to open up spaces to exploit the Georgian defence.
Clearly the work put in during Home-Based Training Sessions in the FAI National Training Centre and 10 days in Antalya, Turkey - which included a friendly win over Philippines - paid off.
Next up is a double header in September, starting with Finland's visit to Tallaght Stadium on September 1st before travelling to Slovakia on September 6th. As Pauw said afterwards, 'it's in their hands'.
Georgia: Tatia Gabunia; Nino Chkhartishvili, Tamar Kvelidze, Mariam Kalandadze, Natia Danelia; Teona Bakradze (Irina Khaburdzania, HT, Ia Alelishvili, 90 inj.), Nino Pasikashvili; Mariam Danelia (Nino Gujabidze, 62), Khatia Tchkonia, Lela Chinchinadze (Megi Gotsiridze, 83); Ana Cheminava.
Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell; Heather Payne (Lucy Quinn, 62), Ruesha Littlejohn (Lily Agg, 62), Megan Connolly, Katie McCabe; Jessica Ziu, Denise O’Sullivan; Amber Barrett (Abbie Larkin, 62).
Referee: Meliz Özçiğdem (Turkey).
This is a rearranged fixture from September 17, 2021, when COVID restrictions were in place. It was agreed that Ireland would host Georgia on November 30, 2021 (which they won 11-0) and then travel to Georgia in June, 2022.
After completing a 10-day training camp in Antalya, Turkey – which included a 1-0 win over Philippines in an International Friendly – Ireland arrived, via a chartered flight, in Tbilisi, Georgia on Saturday evening.
The squad will be based in the Georgian capital before travelling to Gori on match day, where they are targeting three points that would elevate them up to second place in the Group with two games left to play.
TEAM NEWS
All players are fit and available for selection.
QUOTES
Republic of Ireland Manager Vera Pauw
"We have a full squad to choose from, with no injuries, and that is a huge credit to our backroom staff because players came in from different situations regarding their fitness and whether they were in season or in pre-season. But we have worked hard to build up their fitness during a training camp in Turkey.
"We feel that we are ready for this game against Georgia. It is a very important game for us with the three points being our target. We know what we have to do and we will have a game-plan that will take everything into account.
"People should not expect the same situation from when we played Georgia last year because they were missing some players and they are also playing at home in this game. But we are ready; we have trained hard, prepared well and we will go out to win the game."
Republic of Ireland WNT Squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Megan Walsh (Brighton & Hove Albion), Grace Moloney (Reading), Naoisha McAloon (Durham)
Defenders: Jess Ziu (Shelbourne), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Diane Caldwell (Manchester United), Claire O’Riordan (MSV Duisburg), Jessie Stapleton (Shelbourne), Éabha O’Mahony (Boston College), Áine O’Gorman (Peamount United), Chloe Mustaki (Shelbourne)
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ruesha Littlejohn (Aston Villa), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Ciara Grant (Hearts), Lily Agg (London City Lionesses), Roma McLaughlin (Connecticut Fusion), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City)
Forwards: Heather Payne (Florida State University), Amber Barrett (FC Koln), Abbie Larkin (Shelbourne), Stephanie Roche (Peamount United), Saoirse Noonan (Shelbourne)
Republic of Ireland WNT Caps
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (13 caps / 4 clean sheets), Grace Moloney (5 caps / 0 clean sheets), Megan Walsh (1 cap / 0 clean sheets), Naoisha McAloon (0 caps / 0 clean sheets)
Defenders: Jess Ziu (9 caps / 0 goals), Niamh Fahey (103 caps / 0 goals), Louise Quinn (95 caps / 13 goals), Diane Caldwell (85 caps / 3 goals), Jessie Stapleton (1 cap / 0 goals), Claire O'Riordan (17 caps / 0 goals), Éabha O'Mahony (4 caps / 0 goals), Áine O'Gorman (112 caps / 13 goals), Chloe Mustaki (3 caps / 0 goals),
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (62 caps / 14 goals), Denise O'Sullivan (93 caps / 17 goals), Megan Connolly (36 caps / 3 goals), Ruesha Littlejohn (66 caps / 6 goals), Jamie Finn (12 caps / 0 goals), Ciara Grant (16 caps / 0 goals), Lily Agg (1 cap / 1 goals), Lucy Quinn (10 caps / 2 goals), Roma McLaughlin (8 caps / 0 goals)
Forwards: Heather Payne (26 caps / 1 goal), Amber Barrett (29 caps / 4 goals), Abbie Larkin (3 caps / 0 goals), Stephanie Roche (56 caps / 15 goals), Saoirse Noonan (3 caps / 1 goal)
Georgia Squad
Goalkeepers: Gabunia Tatia (Lanchkhut), Sukhashvili Teona (Sivasspor), Tabagari Eka (Kolkheti Khobi)
Defenders: Gujabidze Nino (Lanchkhuti), Alelishvili Ia (Lanchkuti), Jojua Ana (DInamo Sokhumi), Chkhartishvili Nino (Lanchkhuti), Qvelidze Tako (FV Ettlingweier), Jgushia Nino (Norchi Dinamo)
Midfielders: Danelia Mariam (Lanchkhuti), Pasikashvili Nino (Dinamo Sokhumi), Danelia Natia (FC Sogdiana), Kakhniashvili Elene (Norchi Dinamo), Kapanadze Mariam (Lanchkhuti), Gotsiridze Megi (Lanchkhuti), Khaburzania Irina (Lanchkhuti,), Kalandadze Mariam (Lanchkhuti), Cheminava Ana (FC Sogdiana), Bakradze Teona (Lanchkhuti), Tsulaia Ana (Kolkheti Khobi), Minadze Ana (Norchi Dinamo)
Forwards: Chichinadze Lela (Dinamo Sokhumi), Tchkonia Khatia (Lanchkhuti)
2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifying - Group A
Results
21 October, 2021 | Republic of Ireland 0-1 Sweden
26 October, 2021 | Finland 1-2 Republic of Ireland
25 November, 2021 | Republic of Ireland 1-1 Slovakia
30 November, 2021 | Republic of Ireland 11-0 Georgia
12 April, 2022 | Sweden 1-1 Republic of Ireland
Fixtures
27 June, 2022 | Georgia v Republic of Ireland
1 September, 2022 | Republic of Ireland v Finland
6 September, 2022 | Slovakia v Republic of Ireland
Goalscorers
4 – Katie McCabe, Denise O’Sullivan
2 – Megan Connolly
1 – Amber Barrett, Kyra Carusa, Saoirse Noonan, Lucy Quinn, Maiko Bebia OG
Clean Sheets
1 – Courtney Brosnan
NOTES
FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifying Round - Group A
Georgia v Republic of Ireland
KO 17:00 (20:00 Local Time)
Tengiz Burjanadze Stadium, Gori
LIVE on RTÉ2 / RTÉ Player
Referee: Meliz Özçiğdem (Turkey)
Assistant Referees: Deybet Gök, Mürvet Yavuztürk (Turkey)
Fourth Official: Neslihan Muratdagi (Turkey)
#GEOIRL | #COYGIG | #OUTBELIEVE