Ireland all out of hiding places as Canucks and crunch time arrives
Against the Olympic champions, Ireland require the quantum leap like nothing before to regain their World Cup course.
Beating the nation ranked seventh in the world would capture status like never before. Avoiding defeat keeps them in the mix but defeat signals the end of Ireland’s adventure in Oz after just 180 minutes.
Their destiny is so evenly poised and interlinked with the recovery powers of Louise Quinn and Heather Payne. This week came confirmation of what we suspected in the embedded contract with the five-player defensive unit.
Payne and skipper Katie McCabe have within their remit the license to roam beyond the halfway line but occasions like Thursday’s slender defeat to the co-hosts Australia suppress creativity.
Canada, wounded by Friday’s scoreless draw against unfancied Nigeria, won’t show any mercy to Ireland in their quest to back up the tag of Gold medalists with a journey deep into the tournament. Their rivalry with neighbours and three-in-a-row chasing title holders USA forms part of their motivation.
The loss of Quinn, should the centurion be deemed too much of a risk following a swollen, bruised foot in the Matildas encounter, would represent a huge loss. Her defensive skills were evident in producing a series of blocks while the attacking threat brought about by her aerial ability was on show when she rose highest to connect with McCabe’s inviting late cross, only to nod wide.
Her preparations since have been gradual and low-key. Despite the FAI emphasising the protective boot was merely precautionary, the combination of her limited involvement in Monday’s training and her slowness to become fully involved in the pre-match training session put into doubt her fitness.
"The injury is not
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