The Irish WNT’s World Cup send-off game vs France was all going so well, until it wasn’t.
A 3-0 loss the ultimate outcome, hope and expectation filled the air as flags and posters dotted the seats of Tallaght Stadium pre match, eventually (almost) all replaced with bums on seats for a record WNT attendance of 7,633.
“That's big time” player of the match Kyra Carusa says, “you can quote that.”
“A send-off of all send-offs. To bring a top-five team to Tallaght, and to be welcomed by such an impressive and supportive crowd, incredible fans that have backed us for long... oh my gosh the growth is unbelievable” she says.
“It really is electric and it makes it extra special. Thank you to everyone who made that happen.”
🇮🇪 Ireland 0-3 France 🇫🇷65 mins gone
⚽️ A new WNT attendance record announced, nice way to send them off to Australia 🇦🇺
🏟️ Not so nice is the scoreline, but if they can channel that opening 40 minutes again they could claw one or two back surely https://t.co/m1hBsKwhao pic.twitter.com/dFS74PVz2y— Alanna Cunnane (@acunnane10) July 6, 2023
Crowds of painted faces and tricolour draped kids peered on in anticipation of their new footballing heroes, who themselves were welcomed out onto the pitch by their footballing heroes with a guard of honour, the first ever Irish WNT from 1973.
Boasting names such as Linda Gorman, Paul Gorham, Sue Ramsbottom and many more, they were soaking up the delayed, yet rightly merited attention, so much so to the point that they even had to be coaxed off of the pitch before kick off.
A tip of the hat from one generation of trailblazers to another, and one that was rightly recognised in this monumental moment.
“Those legends they started it, we're standing on their shoulders, so it was so nice” Vera Pauw spoke of the moment post-match.
“They had to realize they had to get off the pitch at that moment then hey?” she smiles, “they were enjoying themselves so much and they fully deserve it. I hope they really enjoyed it.”
“I was looking at the opposite side [of the stadium] and thought, oh, no gaps, everybody's turned up, so in this weather I’m so proud of all those kids and their parents and the teams and everybody is everybody that supported us” she says.
⚽️ Just class- The Irish WNT playing their final send off game before their first ever World Cup are given a guard of honour out onto the pitch by the first ever Irish WNT
From one legacy to another, this is going to be massive!
☘️Ireland vs France🇫🇷 kicking off now @ballsdotie pic.twitter.com/Sn3vWwmvsp— Alanna Cunnane (@acunnane10) July 6, 2023
Ireland’s Send-Off Game Taught Them To Be Switched On At All Times
The first half was glittered with Irish footballing cliches galore, with the WNT, bolstered by their American contingent of players channelling a ‘Put em under pressure’ attitude and were on the front foot for the opening 45 minutes.
A nation then held it’s breath when captain Katie McCabe went down injured during that period, before continuing on, and then taking to the ground once again. She was then substituted off in place of Izzy Atkinson, with an ankle roll attributed to be the precautionary culprit for the move.
Chants. of ‘Olé, Olé, Olé’ rang out alongside amongst half successful efforts of the Mexican wave, before they were quickly silenced when a goal from Maelle Lakrar left Ireland feeling Le Le Blue.
A lapse in concentration or a wallowing in disappointment then caused Ireland’s woes to double, with Eugenie Le Sommer putting the visitors 2-0 up on the brink of the break.
Legends. Past and Present.
1973 trailblazer Kay Ramsbottom embraces WNT forward Kyra Carusa 💚#COYGIG | #OUTBELIEVE | #WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/3vXG5y2yTm— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) July 6, 2023
The final nail in the coffin came from Lakrar again in the 61st minute, notching Ireland 3-0 down against the fifth ranked side in the World.
A poor result were you to take it at face value, Pauw and the Irish WNT will be hoping to bottle their opening exchanges up for their trip to their first ever major tournament in Australia.
Bright sparks were Sinead Farrelly’s deft touch and calmness under pressure, Marissa Sheva’s relentless pressure and Louise Quinn’s consistent last ditch savour methods, which was needed in what in the scheme of things was a poor outing for Courtney Brosnan.
Perhaps the most worrying factor however is the change that occurred when McCabe veered over the sideline and onto the bench, but whether that decline correlated to the absence of her as an essential cog in Pauw’s system or a time of the match when the team were tiring is one that remains to be fully resolved.
Jetting off in dribs in drabs Down Under from today, they’ll be hoping they can raise their fitness and their standards to the heights they are possible of reaching come the tournaments kick off on July 20th.
