The real France turned up and had to as they sealed World Cup qualification with a 1-0 win over Ireland in Grenoble on Tuesday night, a result that sends the Republic into the play-offs as top seeds in next week’s draw.
Carla Ward’s team needed a win to secure qualification for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Brazil but a slow start caught them out as Melvine Malard scored with an overhead kick five minutes before the break.
Speaking to the Irish Sun afterwards, a proud Ward said: “I’m incredibly proud of the group and so should everyone. This campaign been sensational
“We have come close against one of the best teams in the world. My God did France turn up, they were outstanding, with excellent players everywhere.
“We know how good they are when they find their rhythm. We did prepare for an onslaught. I thought we managed it well But their goal was a moment of magic, an overhead kick.
“The World Cup goal is the ambition, we have a different route but it tells some story that we are disappointed to lose.
“The World Cup needs this group, they are a special group. You have to take chances against a side like that but I have nothing but love and pride for this group.
“If I’m a young girl watching them I’m inspired. We’ll go to Zurich next week, see who we play, assess that and go back to work. This is the start, not the end, we’ll continue to work, pick ourselves back up for October.
“If we put in performances like we have in this campaign we’ll be absolutely fine.”
The Government and the FAI were both in the firing line in the Dail on Tuesday as opposition parties turned the heat up in the debate about the upcoming Nations League games against Israel as a Sinn Fein motion calling for a boycott of the two games was debated.
The Irish Independent reports that a Government amendment to the motion claimed that the FAI is ‘independent’ and are responsible for making their own decision on sporting fixtures.
“The Government acknowledges the FAI’s independence and autonomy in arriving at this decision and any decisions it may make in the coming days,” the Government amendment said.
The FAI will announce plans on Thursday to move the home game out of Dublin to a neutral venue with the Dail hearing that the Association are talking to a number of parties, including the Israeli FA, about the planned switch in venue.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, whose party proposed the motion, slammed the lack of Government TDs present for the debate ahead of the vote on Wednesday.
“As desperate families queue for food and aid, face bombardment, displacement, and fear, and yet, despite all of this, you come in - only two of you, the rest of your benches are bare benches of shame,” she said.
Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney, set to bring a second motion against the game to the Dail on Wednesday, told the Government parties: “You need to grow a pair as a government and do this and stop the game.”
Roy Keane has admitted in a Sky Sports TV show that he now wishes his Saipan row with Mick McCarthy had never happened ahead of the 2002 World Cup but has also claimed that his conscience is clear over the manner in which he handled himself.
“Given everything that had happened with Ireland over many years, there was always going to be a tipping point. I could not have done anything differently and I have no regrets,” Keane is quoted as saying by the Irish Mirror.
“Do I wish it had happened? Of course not. But if a manager calls a player out in front of an entire squad, I am going to react,” said Keane who, the Sun says, believes McCarthy should have consulted him in private rather than calling him out in front of the team.
Pico Lopes and Joseph Anang will earn a cool €125,000 each for their clubs when they represent Cape Verde and Ghana at the World Cup finals this month.
The two League of Ireland clubs will receive the payments from FIFA as part of the Club Benefits Programme designed to support clubs who have players at the finals. The Irish Independent reports that an expected €9000 per day compensation payment will now amount to €4,400 per day whilst the clubs are missing their stars.
American striker Sydney Stephens has been rewarded for her impressive league form for Sligo Rovers with her selection as the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division Player of the Month for May.
RTE Sport reports on the award for Stephens who’s seven goals and three assists across three games in May.
