Carla Ward named her latest Ireland WNT squad on Tuesday, as the squad look to bounce back in next week's double-header against Greece.
It was a baptism of fire for the new head coach last month, as Ireland fell to a stunning 4-0 defeat in Slovenia, four days after a nervy 1-0 win over Turkey in Tallaght.
Ward has brought in some new faces for this window, with Celtic's Saoirse Noonan getting the call-up many have clamoured for for some time.
Our Women’s National Team squad for April ☘️
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) March 25, 2025
There are also two League of Ireland players in the squad, with Shelbourne's Aoibheann Clancy called up in midfield.
Veteran Ruesha Littlejohn is also included after impressing on her first appearance in a Shamrock Rovers shirt earlier this month. Littlejohn joined the League of Ireland side having parted ways with her previous club London City Lionesses late last year.
Speaking at today's squad announcement at FAI HQ, Ireland head coach Carla Ward revealed the role she had played in bringing Littlejohn to the League of Ireland.
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Carla Ward encouraged Ruesha Littlejohn to join Shamrock Rovers
Speaking to the media in Abbotstown, Carla Ward said that Ruesha Littlejohn had spoken to her about the options on the table for her future over the winter.
Ward did not disclose what other clubs had been pursuing Littlejohn, but revealed that she had urged the Ireland midfielder to move to the League of Ireland.
I told her to do it. I’m not going to lie. She called me and said ‘I have got three options’ — I won’t tell you the other two options — and I said, ‘League of Ireland. Think about the impact you can have on young players. Not just how you can impact the League of Ireland.’
She is a top pro. People think because of her personality that sometimes she is not a big pro but she is. To install that level of experience into the League of Ireland is huge. I was delighted for her, really delighted.
The arrival of Littlejohn is a massive boost to the visiblity of the Women's Premier Division, and League of Ireland fans will be delighted to hear the new head coach is eager to engage with the domestic game.
The Ireland squad named by Carla Ward for the upcoming window is below:
- Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic), Grace Moloney (no club)
- Defenders: Heather Payne (Everton), Jessie Stapleton (Sunderland, on loan from West Ham), Anna Patten (Aston Villa), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Caitlin Hayes (Brighton), Megan Campbell (London City Lionesses), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City), Katie McCabe (Arsenal)
- Midfielders: Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Ruesha Littlejohn (Shamrock Rovers), Marrisa Sheva (no club), Aoibheann Clancy (Shelbourne)
- Forwards: Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Amber Barrett (Standard Liege), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Saoirse Noonan (Celtic), Emily Murphy (Newcastle)
Ireland face Greece in the first of two Nations League ties next Friday, April 4th. Kick-off is at 5pm, with the game live on RTÉ 2.
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