Just back from the game now. Colin Bell had the team well-organised but very defensively with three (Toland, Fahey and, for the most part, Duggan) holding in front of the back four. As a result, Ireland didn’t test the Norwegian keeper in the first half and only a great run by a very courageous Leanne Kiernan at the start of the second half and a volley over while under pressure by Karen Duggan late on were all the Irish team could muster in the second period. Well done also to Claire O’Riordan, an attacker for Wexford, who had to come on as a centre-half when Louise Quinn went off injured after half an hour and had a stirring game. Otherwise, I thought Sophie Perry, Diane Caldwell and particularly Denise O’Sullivan played well. However, Ireland had six domestic players on the pitch at the end – none of whom presumably earn a bean from the game – and you can’t really expect, in this day and age, for such an XI to progress against what looks like a fully professional team and that gap is only going to get wider. So, if the FAI is really serious about developing the women’s game in this country, it needs to get its act together.
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