The Ireland WNT got 2024 underway on Friday night with their first test against top-level opposition since last summer's World Cup.
In Eileen Gleeson's first game as permanent head coach, Ireland travelled to Florence to face an Italy side ranked 14th in the world, in a test of their credentials ahead of a big year of EURO qualifiers.
Ireland's performances in last winter's Nations League have seen them promoted to League A for the upcoming EURO 2025 qualification. Though that means they are guaranteed at least a play-off to reach the tournament, it also means they are guaranteed to face at least one big name if they are to qualify automatically.
Friday night's well-earned 0-0 draw against Italy will be encouraging for Ireland - and Kyra Carusa said post-match that it was a sign that the team were preparing to meet the level of opposition they are set to face later this year.
READ HERE: Ireland Player Ratings As WNT Begin 2024 With Impressive Draw v Italy
READ HERE: FAI Clarify Anthem Photo After Erroneous Claims From Israeli Media
Kyra Carusa says Ireland were eagerly awaiting an Italy-level test
Speaking to Balls.ie after Friday night's game, Ireland striker Carusa said that the squad had viewed the Italy game as the first chance to put their preparations for EURO 2025 qualifying to the test. She said that the squad were delighted to see the signs of their hard work in an impressive performance in Florence:
Coming into this game, we knew that these are friendly games but a really huge opportunity for us to prepare for what’s to come, and for what we want to build towards in the next year-and-a-half.
It was such a huge opportunity and emphasis for us to prepare like we’re going to be playing this level of team all the time. This is going to be the standard, this is going to be the level we need to meet consistently over the year-and-a-half.
There were a lot of little things we talked about, little wins for us, little moments coming into this game.
Results, of course, are always a huge part of the game as it is - but there are nuances to that as well, playing such a highly competitive opponent. We really came into this game emphasising that.
Overall, we were very impressed and very happy coming out the way we did.
Even more encouraging for Ireland was that they pulled off the result without a cohort of injured players including Denise O'Sullivan, Jamie Finn, and Sinead Farrelly. Head coach Gleeson was thankfully able to call on the returning Leanne Kiernan, Niamh Fahey, Jess Ziu and Aoife Mannion for the game, with all four getting game time.
23 February 2024; Republic of Ireland players, back row, from left, Niamh Fahey, Jessie Stapleton, Courtney Brosnan, Caitlin Hayes, Megan Connolly and Ruesha Littlejohn, front row, from left, Katie McCabe, Jessica Ziu, Izzy Atkinson, Heather Payne and Kyra Carusa, before the international women's friendly match between Italy and Republic of Ireland at Viola Park in Florence, Italy. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
The last time Ireland faced a team operating at a similar level as Italy was last summer when they faced Australia and Canada in the World Cup group stages after friendlies against the USA and France.
After a winter of facing teams placed far below Ireland in the World Rankings in the Nations League campaign, Carusa said the squad had been itching for a chance to test themselves against one of Europe's strongest sides:
100%, absolutely. Once you get a taste of it, all you want to do is meet those kinds of opponents all the time.
Some people think that would be absurd to want to play teams the likes of which we played during the World Cup - the Frances, the USAs, the Italys. For us, it’s the exposure and the constant understanding that we’re going to adapt and we’re going to have to be at that level consistently. You need to expose us as a team to it.
Look at this camp with the amount of changes we’re seeing, the younger players coming in and stepping on the pitch. You need that ability and you want to expose them to that now rather than shock them later.
For us, we’ve been chomping at the bit to be able to play an opponent like this.
Ireland have another friendly to look forward to on home soil on Tuesday night. They face Wales in a newly-revamped Tallaght Stadium, with kick-off at 7:30pm. The game is live on RTÉ 2.
SEE ALSO: Eileen Gleeson Encouraged By One Element Of Irish Draw v Italy
