UEFA Championship Qualifiers

Irish Senior Ladies play Italy away tomorrow in a Euro Qualifer. All the ladies sides appear to be improving after each of their campaigns. The Senior Ladies after consolidating their position at the qualifying stage group over the last few years, are pushing to gain at least a play-off place for Finland in 2009.
Ireland have beaten Hungary at Tolka, Romania twice once away and again in Richmond Park.
Squad and previous results
http://www.uefa.com/competitions/woc...064/index.html


Italia (Azzurre) : Rep. of Ireland (Girls in Green)
Villacidro, Sardinia Sat. Feb. 16th, 14:00 (Irish time) (15:00 CET)

FAI website
http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=c...k=view&id=2882
Kinger speaks.... “Looking at the group, it is evident that this result isn’t the be-all and end-all of qualification, sure, a win would put us in a fantastic position to finish as runners up but depending on the best third placed finish, that is also a route to the UEFA Championships play-offs.”

“I am delighted with the team morale and focus on the challenge ahead, I have never seen such confidence in a whole squad of players like this, obviously it was great to win a couple of friendly games in the past number of weeks but the whole squad are fit and sharp and they are eager for this game to kick off tomorrow afternoon,” added King.


FIGC Italian Federation website. (Short English note).
http://www.figc.it/en/204/18069/2008/02/News.shtml


UEFA's take on the match
http://www.uefa.com/competitions/woc...id=658810.html
"...Only the group winners qualify automatically for Finland, but while the runners-up are guaranteed a play-off place, only four of the six teams finishing third will join them."

Standings
http://www.uefa.com/competitions/woc...ngs/index.html
Fixtures & results (from final/Ultimo date down to first/prima date)
http://www.uefa.com/competitions/woc...lts/index.html

Italy scored with 4 very late goals to deny Ireland an away win
http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=c...k=view&id=2883

FIGC (Italian) report of the game.
http://www.figc.it/en/204/18136/2008/02/News.shtml

Kate Taylor of St. Catherines scored from 25 yards out in the first half. She was sent off for a second yellow in 52nd minute and unfortunately Ireland couldn't hold out.

HarpoJoyce, I'm not trying to be sarcastic or knock the team, but 'unfortunately couldn't hold out' wouldn't exactly describe the process of conceeding four goals in seven minutes. I think this type of PC language does nothing for the women's game except belittle it.

Winning 1-0 with 8 minutes to go, and then to lose 4-1 is pretty bizarre stuff and I am sure they're gutted. Obviously there is some problem, maybe fitness?

I wasn't at the game. I haven't been in contact with anyone connected to the game nor secondary sources bar the two linked in post #2.
The reports do give a clue as to why the Irish team conceded ( some number of goals) late on. I consider the reports part of the post.
A reader could list plenty of football stero-types of why this happened. I'm not going to in this post.

I did not mean to be over protective ( one assumption of the phrase PC). However, I am not prepared to be critical of a team's performance when I didn't see it

There are plenty of cynics on this forum. The actual final scoreline doesn't give an accurate reflection of the match, but may be used as a reason to continue to dismiss the Women's game.

At the moment, we are fortunate, the Women's Senior game is knocking on the door of qualifying for a major championship.

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/woc...report=rp.html

uefa.com report on the game.

Katie Taylor scored but was sent off in the 2nd half.

Yes I see from the quotes on FAI website that Noel King was questioning the quality of the refereeing. Also he was making excuses, then saying he wasnt making excuses. It's real loser-talk.

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Originally Posted by Numero

Yes I see from the quotes on FAI website that Noel King was questioning the quality of the refereeing. Also he was making excuses, then saying he wasnt making excuses. It's real loser-talk.

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couldnt agree more. its about time we stopped celebrating mediocrity. Its all well and good praising players when they do well but I hav yet to hear him criticising his players, and thats what players need to hear now and again.

i wonder how pi**ed off olivia was at being left out..nice one kinger talkin her outta retirement to warm the bench.

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Originally Posted by Numero

Yes I see from the quotes on FAI website that Noel King was questioning the quality of the refereeing. Also he was making excuses, then saying he wasnt making excuses. It's real loser-talk.

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I heard the Russian ref was very suspect, for example allegedly gave the thumbs up to Italian players following the sending off, and the 2nd yellow was very suspect to say the least. Or so I've been told......

That seems very serious. Noel King said on FAI website that he can't allow himself to believe it was anything other than poor refereeing. If there was anything untoward in the referee's display which suggests kickbacks - allegedly, allegedly -then King should not be coming out with public statements that he won't allow himself to believe it was anything other than poor reffing. He should just say he's asked UEFA to review the ref's performance, if he even has, and wait for the **** to fly.

I'm going to suggest that the fact the Ireland made no substitutions for the entire game had something to do with it. Italy had made all three before they got on the scoresheet. You could have the world's fittest team, but playing with ten players for the last 30 minutes, they're going to be tired, physically and mentally. Especially with no substitutions.
The team looked fairly well organised defensively against Arsenal, even with a rake of substitutions during that match, so why none in the Italy game?
Does he really believe that outside the first 11, no-one is good enough to replace someone in the starting 11, even if they're worn down to their socks after 80-90 minutes?

Maybe the manager thought he could do that because he got away with it against Holland in the 0-0 draw in the friendly. What's the thinking in making no substitutions in a friendly match? I mean you have got to see if some of these players are good enough to compete with stronger countries players. Maybe the manager thinks its better if the just sit there and watch!!
As for the game in Italy, the manager seemed to put a fair bit of blame on the referee(didn't see any highlights-I can't comment), but not to make any changes against Italy! I just don't get that.
We were 1-0 up with 8 mins to go, three fresh players would have gone a long way to geting a result there.
It will be interesting against the Swedish team.

Its hard to know what is behind Kings thinking.
Couldn't understand why he made no substitutions in the friendly v Holland. Surely this is why we play friendlies. He seems more interested in his record than finding out about the strength of his panel.
Overall he hasn't done too bad a job but we could be doing far better. There are many good players throughout the country who have never been looked at. Has he ever been to a club game outside of Dublin? In Cork we wonder if he exists.
My main concern with the Irish team is that because of the negative way they play they couldn't possibly ever win anything major. They hardly play anyone up front. They depend on loading midfield and getting a break or scoring from a set piece. Apart from Olivia he has nothing serious to offer in attack. There is a distinct lack of pace in the team and the "imported" players are no great shakes. We definitely have better at home.

Agree with you Libero. Can you believe keeping OliviaOToole on the bench? King must be completely stupid - she is a veteran for sure, but she's a bloodly brilliant one. There are also a couple of young talents in the squad who look very promosing, notably Noelle Murray.
Yes, pace really lacking in 'first 11'. And by the way, King hardly goes to club games in Dublin either, so Cork is not alone.

Magyarország (Hungary) 0:2 Rep. of Ireland

http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=c...=3097&Itemid=9
"Noel King's Republic of Ireland women's side battled a strong Hungary team to take all three points in the UEFA Championship qualifier in Miskolc, Hungary this afternoon. Michele O' Brien opened the scoring after 18 seconds while Stefanie Curtis scored with a sublime effort early in the second half. Arsenal's Emma Byrne produced a extraordinary save from the penalty spot to deny the home side a goal late on."

Republic of Ireland: Emma Byrne, Marie Curtin, Sharon Boyle, Yvonne Tracy, Niamh Fahey, Sonya Hughes, Ciara Grant (C), Aine O' Gorman, Edel Malone, Michele O' Brien, Stefanie Curtis

Substitutes: Alisha Moran (on for O'Gorman, 89 mins), Olivia O' Toole (on for Boyle, 88 mins), Meabh de Burca (on for Grant, 87 mins), Seana Cooke, Lynn Bradley, Claire Scanlon

Rep. of Irl firmly establish themselves in the Qualifier Group and continue there challenge for Euro '09 in Finland. They've now done the double over Romania and Hungary.

Superb stuff. Looking good to qualify now? that slip up against Italy is really going to bite them though

Pity Sweden are going to annihilate them at home and away.

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Originally Posted by Block G Raptor

Superb stuff. Looking good to qualify now? that slip up against Italy is really going to bite them though

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Sweden will be tough to get points off, but we play them late in the competition. They may field a weakened squad.

To guarantee third qualifier I believe we still need one, maybe two more points. The third place qualifier's points, doesn't include the last place side. So RoI have six points at present I think alot of 3rd place teams will finish on that or greater. But they have put themselves into a very good chance to qualify.

Ireland won 2-0:D

Great result. Well done ladies.

Sweden 1:0 Italy

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/woc...418/index.html
"An injury-time goal from substitute Jessica Landström kept up Sweden's 100 per cent record in UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ qualifying Group 2 and saw off nearest rivals Italy...."
"...One win away
The result means that if Sweden beat Ireland in Dublin on 25 June, they will qualify for the finals next summer in Finland with two games to spare. Italy have the consolation of knowing that if they win in Romania on 24 May and Ireland lose to Sweden, the Azzurre will be assured of a play-off place in the autumn."

Rep. of Irl : Sweden
Wed. 25th June 19:45
Carlilse Grounds, Bray.

Squad announced for the fixture
http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=c...k=view&id=3272
Kinger speaks “This is a massive task but we’re confident of our ability to perform well against the top nations. We have the experience of playing against the United States and Germany over the past couple of years and that will stand to us against the Swedes,” he said.

“Our spirit is always first-class, we have some established players playing at a very high level in club football and some young Girls starting to make the breakthrough on the International stage.”

The Swedish view of it
http://www.svenskfotboll.se/t2.aspx?...&x=1&a=1136260

UEFA's run-down of all the groups.
http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=704640,printer.htmx