Northern Ireland 1 - 6 Republic of Ireland | 2023 - UEFA Women's Nations League | 999948815

UEFA Women's Nations League League B - Group B1

5 Dec 2023 18:00

Northern Ireland 1 - 6 Republic of Ireland

Report
Preview
Lineups
Minute by Minute Commentary
Statistics
Gallery

REPORT | Northern Ireland 1-6 WNT

Ireland finished their 2023-24 UEFA Women's National League with a sixth straight win after overcoming Northern Ireland in a 6-1 victory in the National Stadium, Belfast.

5th Dec 2023

There were six different goalscorers in Lucy Quinn, Heather Payne, Kyra Carusa, Katie McCabe, Louise Quinn and Caitlin Hayes as Ireland recorded a 15th win across 31 games against their local rivals.

Interim Head Coach Eileen Gleeson had continually preached about adopting a positive approach that would see her team press high, compete for every ball and play attacking football. This was an example of this as their patience paid off.

The home team didn't make it easy for Ireland but a moment of magic from Lucy Quinn - who scored the first goal of the campaign against the same opponent - saw the ball fly past goalkeeper Harvey Clifford on 37 minutes.

The Birmingham City attacker then turned provider for Payne who volleyed in from close range with her left foot. That gave the visitors a deserved 2-0 lead going in at the interval and they just got better upon returning for the second half.

On 47 minutes, Carusa got her fifth goal of the campaign with a brave near-post header before McCabe did what she does best by sending a world-class finish into the back of the net three minutes later.

The final two goals came from set-pieces as Louise Quinn looped an outswinging corner into the hosts' net before Hayes got her second goal for Ireland with a strong header.

Northern Ireland squeezed one back through Kerry Beattie but there was never any doubt that the Girls in Green (wearing white here) were going to end this contest as victors.

Northern Ireland: Harvey Clifford; Rebecca Holloway, Laura Rafferty, Sarah McFadden, Rebecca McKenna (Demi Vance 46), Caragh Hamilton; Marissa Callaghan, Chloe McCarron (Megan Bell 81), Nadene Caldwell (Danielle Maxwell 66); Lauren Wade, Simone Magill (Kerry Beattie 46).

Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Caitlin Hayes, Louise Quinn (Chloe Mustaki 81), Megan Connolly; Heather Payne (Abbie Larkin 63), Ruesha Littlejohn (Jessie Stapleton 63), Jamie Finn (Lily Agg 85), Katie McCabe; Denise O’Sullivan; Lucy Quinn (Izzy Atkinson 81), Kyra Carusa.

Referee: Veronika Kovarova (Czech Republic).

PREVIEW | Northern Ireland v WNT

The Ireland Women’s National Team will conclude their 2023-24 UEFA Nations League Group campaign against Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening.

4th Dec 2023

The 31st official game between the two teams will take place in the National Stadium, Belfast with Ireland hoping to finish a sixth straight win in Group B1.

MATCH DETAILS
UEFA Nations League
Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland
Tuesday, December 5
National Stadium, Belfast
KO 18:00
LIVE on RTÉ2

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee | Veronika Kovarova (Czech Republic)
Assistant Referee 1 | Nikol Šafránková (Czech Republic)
Assistant Referee 2 | Zuzana Špindlerová (Czech Republic)
Fourth Official | Jana Adámková (Czech Republic)

LEAGUE B GROUP B1 RESULTS / FIXTURES
September 23 | Ireland 3-0 Northern Ireland
September 26 | Hungary 0-4 Ireland
October 27 | Ireland 5-1 Albania
October 31 | Albania 0-1 Ireland
December 1 | Ireland 1-0 Hungary
December 5 | Northern Ireland v Ireland

IRELAND WNT SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (London City Lionesses), Sophie Whitehouse (Lewes)
Defenders: Caitlin Hayes (Celtic), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Diane Caldwell (FC Zurich), Hayley Nolan (Crystal Palace), Jessie Stapleton (West Ham United), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City)
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Bristol City), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Sinead Farrelly (NJ/NY Gotham), Ruesha Littlejohn (London City Lionesses), Lily Agg (Birmingham City), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Heather Payne (Everton), Izzy Atkinson (West Ham United)
Forwards: Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Freya Healy (Peamount United), Abbie Larkin (Glasgow City), Erin McLaughlin (Peamount United), Saoirse Noonan (Durham WFC), Ellen Dolan (Peamount United)