Preview: A daunting but achievable mission for Ireland

There’s a scene in the 1992 ice hockey flick The Mighty Ducks where Emilio Estevez’s character Coach Bombay empties a basket of pucks and tells his unpolished powerhouse Fulton Reed to “shoot your heart out”.

And Fulton does – violently lashing puck after puck towards goal: one goes into the top corner; the next flies towards a woman holding a tub of popcorn in the stands; another smashes the glass on the perimeter.

The opposing team watches on, bemused and intimidated. When the game begins, Fulton gets an opportunity to steady himself and uncork a thunderbolt. Everyone flinches, diving for cover, turning their backs. But Fulton doesn’t shoot; instead a team-mate skates in to take the puck off him, slide it left and allow another Duck to pop it in into the empty net.

Ireland had a ‘Mighty Ducks’ moment against England last month.

As soon as Megan Campbell came onto the pitch as a 61st-minute substitute, the energy inside the Aviva Stadium changed. Campbell immediately got the opportunity to fling one of her trademark, laser-beam throws into the England box. It was delivered with such precise ferocity that the crowd gasped.

A few minutes later, she got another. And then another.

By throw-in number four, England were scarred enough by the threat that they retreated en masse into their own penalty area. But this time Campbell didn’t go long. She checked, swivelled left, and popped a short throw to Katie McCabe who found herself free in space inside the England half for the first time all night.

The Lionesses – so imperiously dominant for the first hour – had second-guessed themselves. Campbell’s throws planted a seed of doubt that flustered the reigning European champions, and it’s a weapon Eileen Gleeson must utilise to the absolute max if her side are to bloody the nose of one of the big guns.

They welcome world number six-ranked Sweden to Lansdowne Road tonight and Campbell definitely has a shot at starting. Niamh Fahey and Heather Payne are injured, while Aoife Mannion will probably be deployed on the right.

The Drogheda native’s minutes must be carefully managed given her injury history, but Campbell would be a real asset on the left at the Aviva, offering that jumbo throw but also composure and tenacity.

The unpredictably of her throws is particularly important, given the Girls in Green are not blessed with an abundance of creative talent. They have two tecnically outstanding talents: Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan, and neither have enjoyed an ideal build-up to this qualifier.

McCabe only joined camp on Tuesday having returned from Arsenal’s end-of-season friendly against the A-League All Stars in Melbourne. The captain has been adhering to a special sleeping plan to help her overcome jet lag, and trained fully on Wednesday and Thursday.

O’Sullivan is a bigger concern. The Cork midfielder twisted her knee in action for North Carolina Courage against Kansas City three weeks ago. Gleeson said she’s been on “a modified training programme” this week but O’Sullivan is not guaranteed to make it tonight, with the Stockholm clash perhaps a more realistic target. She would be a huge loss.

Ireland were typically dogged against France and England but they need to show more creativity if they are to pinch something off the Swedes. Gleeson acknowledged they were too “passive” against England but it remains to be seen if she tweaks her set-up to liberate her side a little.

Playing McCabe higher up the park would help, with Campbell shifting to the left side of the defence and potentially Izzy Atkinson ahead of her; though it’s more likely McCabe will be on the left with a solid middle two of Ruesha Littlejohn and Megan Connolly if O’Sullivan doesn’t make it.

The excellent Jess Ziu missed the last window but should get the nod at right midfield to fill the void left by Payne. Caitlin Hayes, Anna Patten and Louise Quinn have been the central defensive three of choice so far in these qualifiers and look certain to start again.

Kyra Carusa will lead the line, though the in-form Leanne Kiernan may prove a very useful asset off the bench. Kiernan ended her Women’s Super League campaign with a brilliant hat-trick in Liverpool’s 4-0 win at Leicester City.

And what of the Swedes? Peter Gerhadsson’s team are serial contenders at major tournaments and will expect to bring three points home from Dublin. They were very impressive in a 1-1 draw with England at Wembley, and then fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat against France in Gothenburg.

However, they are understrength here. Prolific striker Stina Blackstenius, centre-back Amanda Ilestedt and midfielder Lina Hurtig all faced the Irish in the 1-1 World Cup qualifier draw back in 2022 but miss out this time around, while Vfl Wolfsburg attacker Rebecka Blomqvist and Anna Anvegard – the BK Hacken forward – are also out.

The return of the excellent Hannah Glas is a boost to their defence, while the likes of Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona) and Kosovare Asllani (AC Milan) are seriously dangerous.

They will be deserved favourites, but if Ireland can get through the first half-hour unscathed, there’s every chance they can frustrate a team who will unquestionably miss Blackstenius, their most potent attacker.

Prediction: Republic of Ireland 1-1 Sweden

PREDICTED TEAMS

Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Aoife Mannion, Anna Patten, Louise Quinn, Caitlin Hayes, Megan Campbell; Jess Ziu, Ruesha Littlejohn, Megan Connolly, Katie McCabe; Kyra Carusa.

Sweden: Zecira Musovic; Nathalie Bjorn, Linda Sembrant, Magdalena Eriksson, Jonna Andersson; Filippa Angeldahl, Kosovare Asllani (capt), Julia Zigotti Olme; Johann Rytting Kaneryd, Madelen Janogy, Fridolina Rolfo.

Watch Republic of Ireland v Sweden in Euro 2025 qualifying on Friday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on an extended Game On with 2fm