Tyler Toland's four-year Ireland exile ends as UEFA Nations League squad announced

Tyler Toland in action for Ireland in a Euro 2022 qualifier against Montenegro in 2019.

Tyler Toland in action for Ireland in a Euro 2022 qualifier against Montenegro in 2019. Credit: Peter Fitzpatrick (ETPhotos)

Tyler Toland’s four-year exile from the Ireland senior team has come to an end as she has been included in the squad to face Northern Ireland and Hungary later this month.

The Blackburn Rovers midfielder, formerly of Manchester City, Celtic and Levante, had been persona non-grata under previous manager Vera Pauw and excluded from all but the Dutchwoman’s first international selection in October 2019.

Pauw refused to elaborate on the reasoning behind Toland’s exclusion except to state a phone call - rather than a conciliatory text sent in March 2021 - would be sufficient to heal the rift.

But the FAI’s decision not to renew Pauw’s contract despite the coach guiding Ireland to a first-ever World Cup in Australia this summer paved the way for a return.

And Pauw’s former assistant, who takes charge of the side on an interim basis with assistants Emma Byrne and Colin Healy, has immediately recalled the Donegal native.

Toland, 22, is joined by the returning Savannah McCarthy, a regular under Pauw before suffering an ACL tear, Emily Whelan, Saoirse Noonan and Éabha O’Mahony.

An extensive injury list sees Sinéad Farrelly, Niamh Fahey, Megan Campbell, Aoife Mannion, Jessie Stapleton, Claire Walsh, Tara O’Hanlon, Roma McLaughlin, Jess Ziu and Leanne Kiernan miss out.

Ireland face Northern Ireland in the first women’s international at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, September 23rd before travelling to Budapest to play Hungary on the 26th.

Centurion Áine O’Gorman of Shamrock Rovers and Harriet Scott, previously of Birmingham City, have retired from international football and will be honoured at the Aviva.

Both games - part of the inaugural UEFA Nations League - will be broadcast live on RTÉ2.



Ireland squad:

Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (London City Lionesses), Megan Walsh (West Ham United).

Defenders: Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Diane Caldwell (FC Zurich), Claire O’Riordan (Standard Liege), Savannah McCarthy (Shamrock Rovers), Éabha O’Mahony (University of Texas), Hayley Nolan (Crystal Palace), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City).

Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Ruesha Littlejohn (London City Lionesses), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Megan Connolly (Bristol City), Lily Agg (Birmingham City), Heather Payne (Everton), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Marissa Sheva (Washington Spirit).

Forwards: Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Abbie Larkin (Glasgow City), Amber Barrett (Standard Liege), Saoirse Noonan (Durham WFC), Emily Whelan (Glasgow City).

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