Quinn own goal sees Ireland losing out to Sweden in Tallaght
It was a commendable effort on the night from Vera Pauw’s side, but the Republic of Ireland women’s national team ultimately kick-started their World Cup Qualification Group A campaign with a 1-0 reversal to Sweden at Tallaght Stadium this evening.
Having headed a winner in the recent international friendly success over Australia in the same venue, former Peamount United defender Louise Quinn was desperately unfortunate to deflect a Stina Blackstenius strike into the Irish net.
Though it is always disappointing to lose out on home soil, the fact that it took an own goal for the world’s second-ranked side to come away with all three points in this game highlights how tough Ireland made it for their opponents.
For the 28th international in succession, Kilnamanagh’s Katie McCabe led out Ireland as team captain.
With Peamount United skipper Aine O’Gorman taking up a left wing-back role, the Arsenal star was able to operate in a more advanced position for the visit of the Swedes to Tallaght.
The influential McCabe tried her luck from distance in the 10th-minute, but Sweden largely dominated possession during the early exchanges.
Irish netminder Courtney Brosnan was named player of the match in the aftermath of the contest and she was forced into a save when Niamh Fahey got her boot to an opposition cross.
Like the Irish side, the Scandinavians had a number of players within their ranks who ply their trades in the Women’s Super League in England. Manchester City midfielder Filippa Angeldal is one such player and her long-range effort was acrobatically tipped over the crossbar by Brosnan on 36 minutes.
Ireland would then suffer a set-back when a right-footed drive from BK Häcken’s Blackstenius flicked off the heel of Louise Quinn before drifting home.
This was rough justice for Ireland at the tail end of a half where they had defended stoutly for large stretches, but the final result wasn’t yet beyond doubt.
The ball fell nicely to Lucy Quinn from a free-kick five minutes after the restart and her side-footed shot floated marginally past the target.
Brosnan continued to impress at the far end, however, as she made excellent saves from Blackstenius and Fridolina Rolfö in the 66th and 73rd minutes respectively.
In a bid to salvage a draw out of the game, Pauw sent on former Peamount attacker Amber Barrett and Liverpool’s Leanne Kiernan inside the final-quarter.
With Louise Quinn pushed up front to add an aerial threat, Ireland did their utmost to cancel out the Swedish lead.
They may have fallen short in the end, but the girls in green will immediately switch focus to Tuesday’s encounter with Finland in Helsinki.