John Fallon: Full house of wins the priority over experimentation for Ireland at Windsor
Ireland women’s team manager Eileen Gleeson admits she must balance blooding youngsters with the objective of sending the team into next Euros with a perfect Nations League record.
The squad she took caretaker charge of following the release of Vera Pauw in September are in Belfast to conclude their maiden campaign against neighbours Northern Ireland before what the locals expect to be a crowd of over 10,000 at the national stadium.
Despite home boss Tanya Oxtoby attaching an element of spice to the derby, it is the Republic who are roaring favourites to bounce into next year as victors.
They had already sealed top spot in this campaign, promotion to next year’s top tier of Euro qualifiers and a guaranteed playoff route into the 2025 finals by winning all four of their opening matches.
A fifth was added on Friday by edging past a dogged Hungary side courtesy of an own-goal at Tallaght Stadium and they can crown it with perfection in this All-Island clash.
Having nothing extra to conquer presents latitude to experiment but Gleeson – notionally the FAI’s head of women’s and girls’ football deputising while the next permanent boss is being recruited – knows there’s something to be gained by completing a whitewash.
She has generally stuck with the strongest available team, culling World Cup squad members Amber Barrett and Claire O’Riordan from the frame in the process, but teenagers Ellen Dolan and Freya Healy from champions Peamount United are pushing for debuts.
“Have there been moments we thought this or that would happen?,” Gleeson pondered about the best laid plans, such as last the October win in Albania negotiated through a thunderstorm.
“There were probably games where we anticipated things going differently. We
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