Pauw names 27-player squad for opening Women’s World Cup Qualifiers

The Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw has selected a 27-player squad for the visit of Sweden to Tallaght on the 21^st October and the clash against Finland in Helsinki on the 26^th October.

Ireland had been due to start their campaign last month against Georgia but the game was rescheduled to June 2022. Instead Pauw’s side faced Australia in a friendly which they won 3-2.

Eight home-based players have made the squad with four of those coming from Shelbourne (Ciara Grant, Amanda Budden, Jessica Ziu and Saoirse Noonan) and one each from DLR Waves, Wexford Youths, Peamount United and Galway WFC (Eve Badana, Aoibheann Clancy, Savannah McCarthy, Áine O'Gorman).

Injuries rule out Keeva Keenan, Claire O'Riordan, Megan Campbell, Alli Murphy, Clare Shine (ankle), Ruesha Littlejohn (foot), Isibeal Atkinson (quad) and Hayley Nolan (shoulder).

The squad in full is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Grace Moloney (Reading), Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Eve Badana (DLR Waves), Amanda Budden (Shelbourne)

Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Claire Walsh (Glasgow City), Diane Caldwell (North Carolina Courage), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Savannah McCarthy (Galway WFC), Éabha O'Mahony (Boston College), Áine O'Gorman (Peamount United)

Midfielders: Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Niamh Farrelly (Glasgow City), Ciara Grant (Shelbourne), Aoibheann Clancy (Wexford Youths), Jessica Ziu (Shelbourne), Katie McCabe (Arsenal)

Forwards: Amber Barrett (FC Koln), Rianna Jarrett (London City Lionesses), Heather Payne (Florida State University), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Kyra Carusa (HB Hoge), Saoirse Noonan (Shelbourne), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City)