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AT THE FOOT of the French Alps in Grenoble, Ireland are looking to climb to the highest of heights.
Carla Ward is urging her side to write “one of the biggest stories in world football” and secure automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup.
Only a win against France would see them pull off the spectacular, with Les Bleues the favourites to top Group A2 and book their ticket to Brazil.
How did Ireland get here?
In short, three wins on the spin has Ireland on the brink of qualification.
Ireland were already guaranteed a play-off before the group stage started due to the team’s performance in the Nations League last year, but the strong showing thus far has meant that Ward’s women have now guaranteed a potentially easier seeded draw should they need to use the play-off route.
Ireland’s ranking saw them drawn in the tough League A phase of qualification in a group with France, Netherlands and Poland.
Defeat to France and Netherlands in the first two games were not unexpected but home and away wins over Poland gave the team some momentum that was capitalised on with last week’s win over the Netherlands at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Ireland now sit a point ahead of the Dutch and one behind the French and a win way from topping the group and qualifying automatically.
If Ireland fail to win tonight and go into the play-offs, the draw for that will be on 18 June.
France are heavy favourites to get the job done on their home patch but the safety blanket of the play-off for Ireland means they enter the game with little downside.
A free hit
“We’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain,” as Ward told her pre-match press conference, embracing the free hit.
“It’s a different kind of cup final – a cup final has pressure, this game has no pressure whatsoever.”
The calmness and focus she detailed was evident in the immediate aftermath, with Denise O’Sullivan among those bouncing around the gym to a playlist that included Love Inc’s You’re A Superstar.
Outside on the plush surface of Stade des Alpes, under the snow-capped peaks and blazing afternoon sun, Ward enjoyed a kick about with her staff as they awaited the players’ arrival.
Ruesha Littlejohn plodded around barefoot, sitting out the team session as is customary, where the mood was high and the volume loud. In an energetic two-touch game, interceptions were cheered louder than flicks or tricks.
Littlejohn is likely to drop out of the starting team to make way for O’Sullivan, as the midfield maestro returns from suspension alongside Emily Murphy.
It’s expected that Murphy – Player of the Match in Ireland’s three opening games – will also be restored to Ward’s favoured XI and 5-3-2 formation, though Abbie Larkin was electric against the Dutch while Amber Barrett proved the super-sub once more. Just Leanne Kiernan is unavailable through suspension.
France, meanwhile, are missing tricky Lyon winger Kadidiatou Diani but have an embarrassment of riches. Manchester United’s Melvine Malard has generally led their line since her two-goal salvo sunk Ireland in their Tallaght Stadium opener in March, while they boast several Lyon, PSG and WSL stars.
“It doesn’t matter who this French side put out, I would argue, squad-wise, on paper, they’re one of the best teams in the world, if not the very best,” said Ward.
With pace, power and unparalleled technical ability, Les Bleues are a side Ireland know all too well.
This their fifth meeting in the space of three years: After a 3-0 whitewash in their 2023 World Cup send-off, France welcomed Ireland to League A for the Euro 2025 qualifiers. The hosts won 1-0 in Metz, before Ireland’s landmark 3-1 victory over their second string at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
In Dublin three months ago, Katie McCabe sent Ireland into a dream lead in the 12th minute and they held it for almost an hour, until Malard struck with an eight-minute brace. O’Sullivan saw a last-gasp effort cleared off the line.
Performances have since been translated into points, with the Poland double and Dutch scalp setting up this unlikely shootout.
The Netherlands result was particularly seismic as Ireland came out on top of a chaotic endgame, having often faded in the final quarter. Interestingly, Ward puts that down to fuelling, with her former chef at Aston Villa, Ryan Swift, recently joining forces with nutritionist Olivia Patel.
“I do believe this is the first game at 70 minutes that we didn’t see the shift that we had seen. They deserve a lot of credit, the performance team. But also, I will put it down to the players, players and their mindset of not wanting to roll over at 2-2. They wanted to win the game, we all knew that.”
The same applies here, more than ever, as they dare to dream the ultimate dream.
They need not look far, to Heimir Halgrimsson’s men and Troy Parrott in November, and their two seismic wins in one window. But this Irish team are writing their own story, with Ward leading the charge.
“I think anything is achievable. I think anything is possible. I think with our mindset, and a really strong culture first of all, a belief, and the biggest thing is a togetherness. That goes for the staff, the players, everybody.
“If you’ve got that, you’ve got a chance of anything. Yes, okay, we’re coming up against one of the best in the world, the very best. But, when you have those four components, I think anything is possible.”
The pressure is on the expectant French – Malard spoke about winning the World Cup yesterday, never mind qualifying – as they look to book their ticket to Brazil in front of 8-9,000 fans.
A small travelling crowd will be vocal as temperatures settle to the late teens for the late kick-off.
From Tallaght to Hampden, Australia to the Aviva, Páirc Uí Chaoimh to the foot of the Alps, the journey continues. The dream intensifies. The opportunity to hit the highest of heights awaits, with a safety net firmly in place. Nothing to lose, absolutely everything to gain.
Ireland (Possible XI): Brosnan; Mannion, Patten, Hayes, Mustaki, McCabe; Connolly, Sheva, O’Sullivan; Murphy, Carusa.
France (Possible XI): Picaud; Sombath, Somoura, Lakrar, Bacha; Jean-Francois, Karchaoui, Geyoro; Baltimore, Malard, Cascarino.
Live – KO 8pm Irish time, RTÉ 2.
Written by Emma Duffy with reporting by The Journal.
Originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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