Ireland 1 (Noonan 19) Slovenia 0
Ireland: Brosnan; Stapleton (Campbell 61), Patten, Hayes, McCabe (capt); Murphy, Connolly, O’Sullivan, Larkin (Quinn 80); Noonan (Barrett 61), Carusa (Sheva 80)
Slovenia: Marsnik; Conc (capt), Golob, Agrez; Kolbl, Makovec, Korosec, Prasnikar (Janez 90), Erzen; Sternad (Kajzba 68), Kramzar (Zver 88).
Here is Gavin Cummiskey’s match report, Malachy Clerkin’s player ratings to follow on the website.
[ Ireland win in Páirc Uí Chaoimh but it is mission accomplished for SloveniaOpens in new window ]
That’s all from me for this evening, good night!
Louise Quinn on RTÉ: “It will take a bit of time to reflect. Where we’ve come as a team, you can see that progress. We were a nation that were struggling, to be a part of something where it is now, I’m so proud. I’m happy to still be here in one piece! I’m happy.
“Carla owed me nothing to put me on. The important thing was winning the game, we left ourselves a tough task after the first game against Slovenia. If I got on, even better. It’s tough, but we won the game, we’re building, we still have another chance to qualify for the World Cup.
“The anthem absolutely got me, I had a word with them, that got me. This is the best shirt you’re going to wear in your career, it’s the proudest thing you can do do in your career. I gave every bit of me to this team over the years. It’s just been the greatest time of my life.”
90 mins: All action display by Murphy as she’s back defending the counter this time. Three minutes of stoppage time.
Player of the match is Emily Murphy on RTÉ, well deserved.
One last Campbell throw for the road in the last minute but Mersnik has been strong on them all evening.
Full-time: Ireland 1 Slovenia 0
A fine performance by Ireland, they had chances to score more, but it’s no automatic promotion as Slovenia get promoted to League A topping the group. Playoffs to come.
86 mins: Great run by Sheva after a long through ball from Murphy, but the bounce doesn’t suit her and falls into the keeper. Then a bit of a scrap between the two teams, been an edgy game. Yellow cards for Erzen and Patten.
Appropriate chaos in the box from a Campbell long throw and looked like the ball was going to fall in but Slovenia survive once more. Then a great pass by Hayes into Murphy, who shouldn’t have shot and straight into the keeper’s hands.
80 mins: Two more changes for Ireland, Louise Quinn comes in for a final time, she comes on for Larkin to big applause. She made her debut in 2008, her 122nd cap. Sheva comes on for Carusa also.
78 mins: Murphy coming off the left side this time takes a powerful shot, which is just palmed away by Mersnik.
74 mins: Good ball in by Connolly from a free-kick and Hayes meets it but nods it wide of the goal. Another chance missed.
Ireland will wonder in some ways how they have only scored one goal today. Without having a host of easy chances, it’s rare they put this much pressure on an opposition’s goal. Credit to Slovenia for some of their defending but with 15 shots and 63 per cent possession after 74 minutes, four goals was possible. They’ll keep going anyway.
69 mins: First change for Slovenia, Sternad off for Kajzba.
Big chance for Murphy, best chance of the second half so far, Carusa with a superb ball in behind and Murphy on the run tries to smash in near post but just hits it high and wide.
65 mins: Murphy has been electric this evening, running outside and inside and causing her opposition all sorts of problems. It’s time for world record holder Campbell’s first long throw of the game but it can’t quite cause the chaos they would have hoped.
62 mins: Chance for Connolly with a shot from the edge of the box, but hits it over the bar. Slovenia nearly put Kramzar in behind but Hayes with a good intercept. Another heavy tackle by Slovenia, Noonan gets the brunt of it this time.
She comes off for Amber Barrett, Campbell comes on for Stapleton.
58 mins: Stearnad gets past Hayes and advances on the box, takes a shot at the near post but Brosnan saves. Nice switch by Patten to Larkin on the wing, back to McCabe and her cross is collected by Mersnik.
55 mins: Makovec gets a yellow card for Slovenia, but they’ve been more solid this half so far. A Slovenia free kick is immediately intercepted by O’Sullivan and Murphy runs down the wing. Another foul by Slovenia and another card, captain Conc gets a caution.
49 mins: The second half is under way with yet another Irish corner, but cleared by Slovenia. The Slovenians have committed a lot of fouls this evening and another McCabe free kick from the 18-yard box is headed back from the back post and cleared, then Connolly loops one into Stapleton for a header but straight at the keeper.
Half-time: Ireland 1 Slovenia 0
An entertaining first half, high intensity and good play all round. Ireland deservedly lead after a superb first half display, Noonan with the only goal with a header. Could have been two or three, although had Brosnan to thank near the end of the half that it wasn’t 1-1. The goals are there for the taking in the second half if they keep that up.
45 mins: O’Sullivan twirling away from the Slovenian midfielders and showing her class but her pass just intercepted. Then a lovely touch by Noonan in the box nearly sets up Carusa.
But then Slovenia get the chance they were waiting for... from the counter, Prasnikar gets played in behind and uses her pace to stretch clear. Her shot is towards the corner but fine save by Brosnan. Crucial that didn’t go in, it would have been demoralising to be behind after how they’ve played.
43 mins: The pressure continues on Slovenia, could do with a second goal with this momentum if they want to have a chance to top the group. Yet another corner, at least three or four from dealing with Murphy’s direct running, Connolly goes deep this time and Mersnik doesn’t convince coming out but they clear it away. Then finally a good chance for Patten from a deflection, but off balance from close range she heads it wide.
40 mins: Ireland get away with one as it looked like Slovenia were through in behind but given offside when it appeared onside. No shortage of set pieces and crosses into the box by Ireland, last few have been poorer though.
36 mins: Plenty of tackles, both teams being physical. Yellow card for the Slovenian manager Sasa Kolman for protesting a decision.
32 mins: Yellow for Stearnad for a heavy tackle on McCabe as she was clearing it. Ireland well on top so far in this half. Emily Murphy beats her marker once more and cuts it back, but Connolly’s shot is blocked.
28 mins: A brief delay as Abbie Larkin clashed with the Slovenian player in the air and they receive treatment. Connolly puts in a teasing delivery and just too far for Patten.
24 mins: A free-kick by McCabe, who has been everywhere today so far, inspired from her Champions League win, is dealt with by Mersnik in the Slovenia goal. Carusa drives at the defence and wins another Ireland corner. Connolly’s ball dangerous again and falls to Carusa, who tries to hook the ball around and should score from short-range. Only a minute later, Carusa has another chance with a Stapleton cross to the forward who heads it over.
Rarely you see an Irish side play this positively against a quality side.
19 mins: Another good attack by Ireland, Connolly with a nice ball in behind to McCabe who puts in a low cross, which is scrambled away. But then Ireland go again and...
GOAL FOR IRELAND! Noonan with a great header after a superb cross by Stapleton. Noonan peels away from her marker and powers it home. Well deserved!
18 mins: Nice play by Abbie Larkin, collects a pass from McCabe and shimmies her way past two players on the edge of the box and takes a low shot but straight at the keeper. Then Slovenia go up the pitch with the dangerous Kramzar but Sternad’s cross is to nobody in particular.
15 mins: McCabe going to ground again, then Noonan is fouled with a chance to whip a ball in with a free. It’s cleared but Ireland are aggressive in the tackle in winning the ball back. Slovenia then go on a dangerous counter that is just about intercepted by Stapleton.
10 mins: Slovenia get their first corner but well defended from Carusa. Windy day in Cork, which is causing a few problems for both teams. Brosnan tries to play the ball long but doesn’t reach the halfway line. McCabe is down holding her face after a clash with Prasnikar. It was a mistimed tackle, but it was the aftermath wheren McCabe banged her head off the ground. Hopefully she’s okay.
6 mins: Positive play by Noonan, getting at the full-back, then from the corner it’s short to McCabe and it’s an excellent cross by the Arsenal woman. Patten’s header going in but blocked by Slovenian defender. Good start but no goal to show for it.
3 mins: Early pressure by Ireland, chance for a long throw for McCabe and then a corner also taken by McCabe, and a chance for Ireland! Noonan gets a free header and powerfully at the target but cleared off the line.
Emily Murphy starts tonight, she scored a fine goal in the last game to give Ireland the win against Turkey.
The teams are coming out on the pitch for the national anthems. Ahead of kick-off, Louise Quinn is presented with a frame ahead of her retirement.
Should be a memorable evening in Cork city.
The teams for tonight’s match:
Ireland: Brosnan; Stapleton, Patten, Hayes, McCabe (capt); Murphy, Connolly, O’Sullivan, Larkin; Noonan, Carusa
Slovenia: Mersnik; Conc (capt), Golob, Agrez; Kolbl, Makovec, Korosec, Prasnikar, Erzen; Sternad, Kramzar.
Mary Hannigan writes Ward has some big selection decisions to make if that goal glut is to be achieved. She won’t need to be reminded that when she played an attacking 4-4-2 formation in Koper in February, Slovenia were 3-0 up by half-time.
Ruesha Littlejohn, Kyra Carusa and Murphy will be among those pushing for a start, while the manager may need to rejig her defence if Aoife Mannion doesn’t recover from the knock that saw her go off at half-time in Istanbul.
[ Ireland in need of a goal glut against Slovenia to top Nations League groupOpens in new window ]
Here is Stephen Barry’s match preview, which includes some small beef between the two managers.
Republic of Ireland manager Carla Ward has batted away suggestions that she was outfoxed by Slovenia manager Saša Kolman when the two nations faced off earlier this year.
Kolman trumpeted his “tactical win” after beating the Girls in Green 4-0 in February. He claimed he didn’t bother with a Plan B as he knew what Ireland would do, stating that they “played into our hands”. The teams are prepared to meet again in a Nations League promotion decider at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork (Tuesday, 6pm).
Ward hit back on Monday, saying: “I’m going to concentrate on us and what we do. He can talk as much as he wants. It’s not hard to look at a Carla Ward team over the last eight years and work out how I like to play the game.
“He can comment all he likes. It just shows that he’s probably had a look at my career, which I can take a little bit of confidence from. My focus is on my team and how we set up.”
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Republic of Ireland’s game against Slovenia in the Nations League League B Group 2.
The Slovenian gave the Irish team a humiliation away from home and now it’s a chance for revenge for Carla Ward’s side. But as a consequence of that heavy loss in Ward’s second game at the helm, Ireland require a five-goal victory over Slovenia tonight to achieve automatic promotion to League A. Along with that, they would secure a guaranteed play-off spot for the 2027 World Cup.
Should Ireland fall short, they will face a third-placed team from League A in a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off in October. Italy, Portugal, Iceland and Austria are currently positioned as the likely opponents.
Kick-off is at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork at 6pm.
