EURO 2025 qualifier report: England 2 - 1 Republic of Ireland

A late strike from Julie-Ann Russell wasn't enough as Ireland succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against England at Carrow Road.

Ireland made five changes to their starting line-up following their 1-0 defeat to Sweden - Anna Patten, Niamh Fahey, Denise O’Sullivan, Emily Murphy, and Amber Barrett lined up to belt out Amhrán na bhFiann.

Eileen Gleeson opted for three at the back - wingbacks Aoife Mannion and Jessica Ziu assigned the arduous task of keeping Beth Mead and the pacy Norwich native, Lauren Hemp, on a tight leash.

Ruesha Littlejohn, O’Sullivan and Lilly Agg were the kernel in midfield and looked to smother the creative Keira Walsh, while Gleeson opted for two up front in the form of Murphy and Barrett.

England started with a 4-3-3 formation, their fearsome triad of Russo, Mead and Hemp sending a chill down Irish backs that ran colder than the rain that drizzled over the Cathedral City.

Ireland were quick out the traps as Jess Ziu looked to play Barrett in on two minutes but the Donegal native was deemed offside.

As the Lionesses stretched and passed the ball unharried, an uneasy realisation began to dawn across the island as our nation was given a bird's eye view of how a pack of huntresses carefully sizes up their prey.

Walsh held the ball in midfield, shapeshifting the English formation like a Kaleidoscope before Wiegman’s side picked up the pace - Jess Park injecting a venom to which Ireland had no antidote.

Russo secured the opener on five minutes when Georgia Stanway drove forward and delivered a pacy pass to Mead.

Standing as still as our very own Molly Malone, the Ballon d'Or runner-up flicked the ball effortlessly into the path of Russo who had weaved beyond Caitlin Hayes and the debut starter in this campaign, Fahey.

Russo showed the composure of a professional hitman with a deft cut to the right beyond Brosnan’s outstretched glove before coolly slotting the ball home.

As the white shirts raced back to the halfway line, it was clear that the Lionesses were hungry for more as Ireland fought to weather the English onslaught.

Jess Park snaked past the green shirts and let fly from outside the box - a rifle that was tipped over by Courtney Brosnan but subsequently deemed a handball by Russo.

Ireland continued to look shaky at the back as the Lionesses prowled.

The visitors were saved by Brosnan on a number of occasions throughout the full 90 minutes, the Toffee denying England twice on the bounce as Hemp looked to whip the ball towards her top left bin before Jess Carter followed up.

There was a switch in defence with Niamh Fahey transitioning to the middle and Hayes moving to the left as Ireland began to settle into the contest.

Russo beat Fahey for pace on the left on the half-hour mark and switched the ball to Mead in the centre, but the Gunner could not find her bullet in the chamber and was crowded out by a herd of green shirts who grew to realise that there was strength in numbers.

Barrett almost pickpocketed the ball from Hampton and placed the spotlight further on Wiegman’s decision to stick with the City keeper despite World Cup golden glove winner Mary Earps’ availability for selection, but Hampton’s quick recovery kept her out of the Dutch forewoman’s bad books.

The Standard Liège forward once again looked lively as she drove at Greenwood down the right channel and won a corner just shy of half-time

As both teams entered the tunnel you felt that Ireland had withstood the brunt of the English Supacell and could potentially salvage somethingfrom the second 45 minutes.

That belief was strengthened further as Galway United’s Julie-Ann Russell and Liverpool’s Leanne Kiernan appeared on the sidelines, replacing Barrett and Murphy before the tip-off as England looked to batten down the hatches - Chelsea’s Niamh Charles and Millie Bright lining out at the back.

Russell wasted no time and hounded the white shirts as if it were a normal Saturday at Eamon Deacy Park, shadowing Bright and Maya Le Tissier while Kiernan danced on the right, sending Mead to the deck as she flashed past the number 7 on the right lane.

Yet England bared their teeth before long, Park driving the ball low and across the goalmouth to a chasing Russo whose outstretched leg was destined to miss by a whisper.

Ireland’s revival was punctured when Hemp stole the ball from Fahey  - the defender saving her blushes with a cynical tug on the winger's shirt to award England  a penalty in the 55th. 

Stanway sent Brosnan to the left and dispatched the ball sharply into the bottom right-hand corner to make it 2-0.

A cheerful rendition of Sweet Caroline provided a backdrop to the remainder of the second half in bursts, rippling throughout the sold-out crowd.

Perhaps mindful of her side’s upcoming game against Sweden, Wiegman switched the industrious Mead for Chloe Kelly 15 minutes into the second, while Ziu transitioned for Ireland into midfield and looked to inject some va va voom in the centre.

23-year-old talent Jessica Naz replaced Russo and raised Brosnan’s blood pressure in her own D, the Tottenham Hotspur’s frightening pace almost leading to England’s third, while Charles gallivanted down the left.

Ireland’s flamethrower Megan Campbell would throw some much-needed spice into the mix for Ireland’s set piece play as Gleeson’s women slowly began to rebuild.

Skipper O’Sullivan, who worked tirelessly in and out of possession, burst forward and struck from distance in the 75th but her shot was deflected by Greenwood and Ireland looked destined to continue their goal drought.

Kelly almost netted an audacious hook volley into the top right hand corner in the final minute of normal time, before Stanway cut across the ball and rifled it over the crossbar.

With 40 seconds of the four additional minutes remaining on the clock, Campbell polished the ball with a white towel before winding up for the throw - yet this was no sign of surrender.

As the ball hung in the air, substitute Louise Quinn rose to secure the flick on before Hayes followed suit and guided it in the direction of Russell who had, with the stealth of a Navy Seal, positioned herself ahead of Bright at the front post.

With lightning-quick reflexes, Russell whipped her boot around the ball and guided it past Hampton to earn Ireland a consolation prize.

After a tough and, at times, depressing week for women’s football in Ireland, Russell’s last-minute strike gave  both the national team and the country something to smile about.

England Women: Hannah Hampton; Jessica Carter (Millie Bright 46), Alex Greenwood, Leah Williamson (Niamh Charles 46); Jess Park, Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh; Lauren Hemp (Agnes Beever-Jones 88), Beth Mead, Alessia Russo (Jessica Naz 71).
Subs not used: Khiara Keating, Mary Earps, Lucia Bronze, Millie Turner, Maya Le Tissier, Esme Morgan, Grace Clinton, Chloe Kelly, Ella Toone.
Booked: None.

Republic of Ireland W: Courtney Brosnan; Niamh Fahey (Louise Quinn 86), Caitlin Hayes, Aoife Mannion, Anna Patten; Lily Agg, Amber Barrett (Leanne Kiernan 46), Ruesha Littlejohn (Megan Campbell 67), Emily Murphy (Julie-Ann Russell 46), Denise O'Sullivan; Jessica Ziu.
Subs not used: Sophie Whitehouse, Grace Moloney, Izzy Atkinson, Jessie Stapleton, Tyler Toland, Megan Connolly, Marissa Sheva, Abbie Larkin.
Booked: Niamh Fahey (56).