Scotland 0 Republic of Ireland 1
Family and history rolled into one special night. Amber Barrett made sure that Creeslough remained at the heart of this joyous occasion. Her grandfather hails from the small Donegal village devastated by inexplicable tragedy last week.
Barrett came off the bench to calmly slot the goal that sends the Republic of Ireland to a major tournament for the first time.
That major tournament happens to be a World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next summer.
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And there was Barrett, in the greatest sporting moment she may ever know, scoring at the Hampden-end where Troy Parrott missed for the Irish men last month, delivering a moment that will alter Irish football forever.
Of course the goal was created by Denise O’Sullivan. On 71 minutes the Cork wizard dropped deep to curl a pass for Barrett to hare after.
The 26-year-old’s left boot freed the ball from beneath her legs, a gentle right-toe touch steadied her nerves before a low finish beat Scotland goalkeeper Lee Alexander.
Barrett ran to the corner flag, instantly holding the black armband Irish players wore in remembrance of 10 lost lives in an unforgettable moment by the woman raised in Milford, not 20 kilometres from Creeslough.
Ireland manager Vera Pauw went deep into a reservoir of Irish talent to cover for losing Megan Connolly, Jesse Ziu, Savannah McCarthy, Ellen Molloy and Ruesha Littlejohn to injury.
And it paid off.
Four 30-somethings, Diane Caldwell, Lou Quinn, Niamh Fahey and Áine O’Gorman combined for 407 caps, raising the average age of the team to 28.8, which is the perfect amount of experience to compete at a World Cup.
O’Gorman, the only home-based player on the pitch, was picked for a specific job. An international wing back, with 112 caps, she appeared in her Peamount United role, ghosting off the right on three occasions to almost catch Scotland full back Nicola Docherty napping.
O’Gorman missed a glorious opportunity on 35 minutes from point-blank range after captain fantastic Katie McCabe spun a cross on to her head. A goal she has scored a thousand times in her sleep, the 33-year-old crouched and nodded over.
Moments later she stepped inside but shot off target from 10 metres.
Both misses felt like deep puncture wounds.
Not that Ireland were the better team. Both sides saw sieges lifted by a naked desire not to lose.
Scotland did their homework, targeting a disconnect between Caldwell and Megan Campbell, which also served to sap energy from the legs of O’Sullivan and McCabe further up the left side. Not that they stopped running.
But so much of the early play went down Scotland’s right as Ireland were blessed to escape the opening exchanges at 0-0.
Scotland had two clear penalty shouts in the opening 18 minutes, one which VAR allowed, so up stepped Caroline Weir only for Courtney Brosnan to match the Real Madrid midfielder’s effort, going early to her left to make a fine save.
The spot kick came after slick passing by Rachel Corsie and Fiona Brown before Weir’s cross found Martha Thomas who shot came off Niamh Fahey’s arm and the crossbar.
Swiss referee Esther Staubli showed Fahey a yellow card before Brosnan came to the rescue, as she has done numerous times throughout the campaign.
The Scots were far from done. Quinn conceded a corner that required stout defending by Fahey and Jamie Finn before Weir chipped over.
Ireland were hemmed in. Samantha Kerr’s delicate ball had Thomas through again as an accidental collision with Brosnan was deemed just that to allow Finn to clear once again.
Heather Payne had half-chances, including an ambitious 40-yard effort, but she is more release-lever in Ireland’s ultra-defensive shape, than a lone striker. Corsie, the braveheart Scotland captain, kept the Ballinasloe athlete in her pocket.
It fell, as ever, to McCabe and O’Sullivan to conjure something from nothing. O’Sullivan robbed Erin Cuthbert of possession to find herself heading towards the Scottish box but she stalled for reinforcements, when her natural instinct must have been to go it alone, and the Chelsea midfielder recovered.
The first half ended with Megan Campbell’s third long throw somehow failing to create an Irish goal. Fahey, at the back post, found the target but Sophie Howard cleared off the line before Lily Agg forced a spectacular save from Lee Alexander and still the ball could not be cleared, until Caldwell’s shot was, yet again, denied by Howard.
The second half was a frayed affair, littered with scraps for second balls, as Weir received the sort of possession Ireland needed to give O’Sullivan or McCabe. Neither were being put in space to shoot so it looked increasingly like qualification to the World Cup would come offset piece. There were moments, unbearable moments until Barrett’s goal arrived out of thin air.
Scotland were understandably devasted at Staubli’s final whistle, following six hectic minutes of added time that demanded bodies be flung in the way of relentless attacks by the home side.
Drama elsewhere, namely Portugal’s 4-1 defeat of Iceland, sends McCabe’s warriors directly to the main event as the Portuguese head to the Intercontinental playoffs. They will get there eventually, but on this Glasgow night, despite Celtic losing 2-0 across town to Red Bull Leipzig, the Scottish capital was painted green, white and of course orange.
Free at last.
SCOTLAND: Gibson (Glasgow City); Evans (West Ham United), Corsie (Aston Villa), Howard (Leicester City), Docherty (Rangers); Cuthbert (Chelsea), Weir (Real Madrid), Kerr Rangers); Brown (Rosengard), Thomas (Manchester United), Emslie (Angel City).
Subs: Mitchell (Reading) for Brown, Grimshaw (AC Milan) for Evans (both 65), Graham (Everton) for Kerr, Harrison (Bristol City) for Thomas (both 74), Beattie (Arsenal) for Docherty (81)
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Brosnan (Everton); Finn (Birmingham City), Fahey (Liverpool), Quinn (Birmingham City), Caldwell (Reading), Campbell (Liverpool); O’Gorman (Peamount United), Agg (London City Lionesses), O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), McCabe (Arsenal); Payne (Florida State University).
Subs: Barrett (Turbine Potsdam) for Payne (66)
Referee: Esther Staubli (Switzerland).
