1 week Ago
IRELAND HEAD COACH Carla Ward has challenged other players to step up in the absence of captain Katie McCabe — and Kyra Carusa — for Greece 2.0. Carusa has been ruled out of tomorrow’s return tie at Tallaght Stadium [KO 7.
30pm, live on RTÉ 2] with a quad injury, while McCabe is suspended after picking up her second yellow card of the Nations League campaign in Friday’s 4-0 win in Crete. McCabe only played the second half as she managed a calf strain, and was creator-in-chief as Ireland scored four goals following a laboured opening period. The Arsenal star has since departed camp, replaced in the squad by Shelbourne midfielder Alex Kavanagh.
“Katie is a top, top player,” Ward told her pre-match press conference this morning. “You always want your captain around but I think it is important for other players to step up now. It is an opportunity for other players to represent their country and do the job.
“Of course we will miss Katie but we have a lot of other leaders in the team and really good players that can come in and make a difference. I see it as a positive as well.” Sitting beside her was “one of the best pros I’ve ever worked with,” Denise O’Sullivan, recently-engaged and happy to show off her ring.
Ward waxed lyrical about the North Carolina Courage captain, before suggesting two players who could fill the void left by Carusa, the first-choice centre-forward who scored her 11th international goal last week. “Again, it’s an opportunity for others. Amber [Barrett] came on and did tremendously well.
Saoirse Noonan’s been absolutely brilliant since she’s come in. “There’s a lot of people in those areas that can step into their shoes. When one door closes, another one opens for some individuals.
I think that other people need to step up and take their opportunity. “I’ve said it many times, we’ve got a tremendously good squad, we’ve got an abundance of quality, great people, a togetherness and a willingness to learn.” Ward said she wasn’t frustrated with McCabe’s unnecessary yellow card in Crete after a “hospital ball,” and offered an update on her calf issue as she returns to club duty with Arsenal.
“Slight reaction, not a massive reaction. It’s important with Arsenal and what’s coming up, it’s a case of trying to get that calf now right. If she wasn’t suspended we all know Katie would be here, and yes we probably would have had to manage minutes again.
“But the fact that she is suspended I think it’s really important that she can get that calf right, not just for Arsenal but we have two massive games again in May and June, so I think the right decision has been made.” Both manager and player are guarding against complacency ahead of tomorrow night’s game against the lowly Greeks. “We can’t be complacent,” said O’Sullivan ahead of her 123rd cap.
“They have threats, they’re a good team. “For us, it’s not being complacent, putting our foot on the gas and going from the first minute. We love playing in Tallaght in front of our fans, it’s a big game for us and really important.
“Let’s be really clear: Friday night means absolutely nothing unless we win on Tuesday,” Ward added. “We know that as a group, collectively as staff and players, we have to go and win the game. Heather Payne is set to be available for selection after a recent ankle injury, while Megan Campbell did not to train fully this morning as her load is typically managed.
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