Dion Fanning: Ireland sing a song of innocence but no gold at the end of this rainbow
If you were the superstitious type, you might have been concerned by all the pre-match emphasis on omens ahead of Ireland’s game against Canada.
RTÉ focused on the rainbow that had appeared above the Perth Rectangular Stadium before kick-off. The rainbow was mentioned twice, and if you were coming to this game with no knowledge of what had occurred in the past week or so, you might have believed there was nothing more substantial to talk about.
You might have been concerned too with this search for symbolism. Sometimes, as Freud said, a cigar is just a cigar.
The rainbow could at least be interpreted as good news in that it distinguished itself from much of the conversation around the squad since the defeat to Australia.
Some media coverage had prompted unmerited outrage in part perhaps because there was an idealised version of this World Cup experience which, with the criticism of Marissa Sheva for giving away a penalty, and the focus on the non-handshake between Ruesha Littlejohn and Caitlin Foord, seemed a long way away.
There is always a desire in Ireland among those who experienced it and those who didn’t to be transported back to the mythical days of innocence that were Italia '90.
The joy of that summer was briefly glimpsed when Katie McCabe’s corner flew into the net but then the reality became another story. It was a day of innocence and experience, with Ireland’s innocence manifesting itself as naivete as two goals were conceded which they will feel should not have been conceded.
It was fitting that it was McCabe who provided the joy and Ireland’s first goal at their first Women’s World Cup. It was McCabe, too, who, as the game slipped away, was the Irish player who was able to combine skill, fitness and
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