Ireland stun France at Páirc Uí Chaoimh to boost Euro 2025 qualification hopes

Euro 2025 qualifier: Republic of Ireland 3 [O’Sullivan 67, Russell 76, Patten 90] France 1 [Becho 79]

The Republic of Ireland found their Nations League spark in stunning fashion at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Tuesday night against international heavyweights France.

Naturally, a Cork native scored the first goal in a soccer international at Páirc Uí Chaoimh as Denise O’Sullivan dragged a Rebel yell from the GAA ground. In that unforgettable moment, the 18,399 attendance sounded like a 45,000 full house by the Lee.

Julie-Ann Russell’s stunning second helped Ireland into an October playoff as a seeded team in their bid to qualify for Euro 2025, the importance of which cannot be overstated.

O’Sullivan was sensational throughout but on 67 minutes the girl who grew up in the nearby Knocknaheeny estate decided enough was enough. Russell controlled a bobbling ball and laid it off to her leader, who took a light touch before rifling a shot past France goalkeeper Constance Picaud. The place shook like a Munster hurling championship final.

If O’Sullivan took hold of a game that was petering out, Russell set the place on fire. Racing on to O’Sullivan’s pass, the Galway United striker twisted inside Elisa De Almeida to finish into the top corner. Away she ran, searching for baby Rosie in the crowd.

[ Ireland 3 France 1: As it happenedOpens in new window ]

France rested several star turns, with an eye on the upcoming Olympic Games, but Delphine Cascarino came on to square for Vicki Becho and make it 2-1 with 11 minutes remaining.

A historic victory would need to be earned. On came Megan Connolly, another Cork woman, to clip a corner on to the head of Anna Patten, 3-1. France beaten all ends up. Glorious stuff.

The late goals completely altered the narrative. When an umpteenth French attack broke down, after just 15 minutes, and the ball was motionless at Courtney Brosnan’s feet, the wonder was how Ireland were ever going to score?

They answered, emphatically, with head coach Eileen Gleeson deserving credit for sticking with Russell after three miscues.

Initially, Ireland reverted to long balls, where they inevitably lost aerial battles against taller French defenders, prompting a scrap for second balls, and hoping for the best. On a rare start, Liverpool’s Leanne Kiernan accepted this scenario in the 18th minute, bustling past Julie Dufour to unleash a shot that drew a save from Picaud.

Since Gleeson was named Ireland head coach, on an 18-month contract, Ireland have played eight games (six competitive), drawing with Italy 0-0 in a friendly and losing five straight Nations League ties.

Until now.

In that time, the defence has been honest, but they conceded 12 goals and scored just one – a snap finish by Russell in the 94th minute of a 2-1 defeat to England at Carrow Road last Friday.

The current management were under heavy pressure and they reacted by believing in O’Sullivan’s late charges up field. She delivered on a career night.

With France already qualified to the European Championships in Switzerland next summer, coach Hervé Renard ran a second-string team, resting stars like Wendie Renard and Kadidiatou Diani ahead of the Olympics opener against Colombia on July 25th.

For 67 minutes Ireland were wasteful. Switching Katie McCabe to an attacking midfield slot alongside O’Sullivan yielded early chances for Russell and Kiernan. But when Russell sprinted on to Caitlin Hayes’s clearance, she failed to look up and see O’Sullivan and Kiernan arriving in the box, instead dithering until the retreating French dispossessed her. Seconds later Ruesha Littlejohn burst out of midfield and fed Russell but she passed to nobody.

France had threatened to cut through Ireland at will. Dufour was gifted a chance by Ève Périsset’s, nutmegging Patten only for Jess Ziu to heroically intervene.

By the half-hour McCabe was switched to left back as Ziu pushed forward. This almost paid off when Thiniba Samoura made a mess of a restart, and Aoife Mannion nicked possession, inviting Kiernan to pick out Ziu. It came to nothing.

Scoreless at half-time, Renard reacted to the slow-pace by sending in Cascarino. The Lyon winger immediately exposed McCabe to draw a block from Brosnan with a stinging effort.

As the contest became a blizzard of sideline restarts, Megan Campbell sat on the bench. The long-throw specialist cannot command a place in the Ireland team under Gleeson. But McCabe can also fling them, her quick thinking allowed Ziu to draw another save from Picaud before Russell’s follow up generated no power, allowing France to survive.

Moments before O’Sullivan’s strike, Kiernan looked jaded when she rushed into the box and stumbled under a slight nudge from Samoura.

The contest demanded a shot on target. O’Sullivan obliged.

“We got the goals in the end,” said Russell, holding Rosie in her arms.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Brosnan; Mannion, Patten, Russell, L Quinn, Hayes, Ziu (Barrett, 90); Littlejohn (Agg, 55), D O’Sullivan, McCabe (capt); Russell, Kiernan (Connolly, 87).

FRANCE: Picaud; Périsset, Samoura, Lakrar (Geyoro, 62), E Cascarino (De Almeida, 62); Henry (capt), Le Garrec (Katoto, 81), Bacha; Baltimore (D Cascarino 46), Dufour (Diani, 70), Bècho.

Referee: Olatz Rivera Olmedo (Spain).