Out with the old, in with the new, O'Sullivan-McCabe partnership is a sign of the times
UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE, B1
HUNGARY…0 IRELAND…4 (Caitlin Hayes 19, Katie McCabe 42, Kyra Carusa 49, Denise O’Sullivan 70)
Out with the old and in with new as Denise O’Sullivan and Katie McCabe revived their childhood partnership to keep promotion to League A for next year’s European qualifiers firmly in Ireland’s control.
The idea of Ireland’s pair of world-class stars forming an attacking partnership behind the sole striker would have been an anathema to Vera Pauw, whose place in the narrative around this team is eroding with each passing victory.
Beating Northern Ireland and now Hungary was to be expected but the manner of the victories, underpinned by bright, ambitious patterns of play, indicates a corner has been turned in terms of adventure and ambition.
Eileen Gleeson claims she doesn’t want the job on a permanent basis but her contribution is there to see.
Should, as is now likely, the Girls in Green storm into next year’s serious business with six straight victories, her credentials for the vacancy will soar.
Caitlin Hayes got the rout in Budapest underway by powering a 19th minute header home before a peach of a strike by McCabe added the second three minutes before the break.
Kyra Carusa and Denise O’Sullivan added a couple more, illustrating the chasm between Ireland and their group opponents.
Next month’s double-header against lowest seeds Albania shouldn’t pose any problems either.
“You can see that we’re enjoying ourselves,” beamed Arsenal playmaker McCabe afterwards.
“It’s always nice to score but apart from the goal, the build-up involved establishing our play, moving Hungary around.
In a sparsely populated arena, a contrast from Saturday’s raucous atmosphere before 30,000 fans at Aviva Stadium, the onus
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