Eoin Harrington reporting from FAI HQ in Abbotstown
There was an unexpected hero of the last international window for the Ireland WNT, with Julie-Ann Russell's one-year-old daughter Rosie taking centre stage.
Russell returned to the Irish squad after four years away for the July Nations League double-header against England and France. She would score a late consolation in Norwich, but far more was to come in Cork.
A memorable night saw Ireland defeat France 3-1 in Cork (their first visit there in 12 years), with Russell involved in both of the goals.
Her baby daughter was at the centre of the team's ecstatic celebrations on that famous night, and Russell said this week that Rosie will once again be joining up with the squad ahead of next week's Euro 2025 play-off against Georgia.
She’s excited to come back in and be back with all her aunties again.
I’m leaving her at home for the Georgia trip I think it’s a bit too much on her little body, so she’ll meet us on Saturday back in Dublin.
Herself and my husband Ciaran will come up and she’ll be in camp for the couple of days before the home game.
The love that the Ireland squad have for baby Rosie is clear. Almost every player we spoke to in Cork in July singled out her presence as a major morale booster for the July window, and the traditional post-match huddle did not start Leeside until Russell had the child in her arms.
"She’s excited to come back in and be back with all her aunties again" 💚
Ahead of Ireland's play-offs with Georgia, Julie-Ann Russell spoke about the positive influence the Girls of Green can be for baby Rosie 💚#COYGIG #IrelandWNT pic.twitter.com/aBhhfpTJVl— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) October 21, 2024
Russell shared a video to Instagram last week of her toddler kicking a ball around in Galway, with the caption 'Rosie for Ballon d'Or.' She jokes on Monday that her Ireland teammates might be able to help Rosie out with developing her skills.
We’ll work on her touch! It’s lovely, she’s walking now and flying with the football which is hilarious to see.
It’ll be great for her to be around all the girls again and have those role models in her life.
There is serious business to be taken care of on the pitch over the coming days, as Ireland face a two-leg play-off semi-final against Georgia with the hope of reaching Euro 2025.
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Julie-Ann Russell looking forward to returning to action with Ireland
Julie-Ann Russell returned to the Ireland squad with a bang in July, scoring against two of the world's best teams in her first two international games since 2020.
It was a return to remember for the 33-year-old, and she reflected on the special July camp when speaking to the media on Monday morning.
It was an absolutely incredible couple of weeks. I enjoyed every single moment of it. Obviously it was brilliant to get a goal against each of the world-class top countries.
I was so excited to be back in with the girls as well. We ended the campaign on a high so I’m just looking forward to building on that for these next two games.
[The game against France] was an absolute dream. First of all the atmosphere - the fans were electric.
Obviously, [it was] a really good team performance, three goals which was brilliant. Obviously Denise scoring in her home, she was phenomenal. To end the campaign with a win against a world-class opponent was just special.
The opposition for this camp (185th-ranked Georgia) are a significantly different challenge. However, Russell tells us that the squad will not approach this game any differently to how they did any of the UEFA Nations League ties earlier this year.
I’m just looking forward to getting in and playing again. I love playing for Ireland and being in this environment with the girls. It’s different opponents this time.
You never know with football, and women’s football in particular, it’s come on so much in all countries over the last few years. We can’t rest on what happened the last time we played them. We just need to take it as two more games.
The games a few years ago that Russell references saw Ireland come up against Thursday's opposition on their way to the 2023 World Cup in Australia. Two ties against Georgia in those qualifiers saw Ireland rack up an aggregate 20-0 win. Nonetheless, the clear message is that no complacency will be allowed this time around.
If Ireland progress from this stage, they will face either Slovakia or Wales in another two-legged playoff next month, with the winners reaching next summer's European Championships in Switzerland.
Julie-Ann Russell will hope to star again as Ireland look to take another big step on the road to Euro 2025 over the coming week.
Ireland take on Georgia in the first-leg of their EURO 2025 playoff semi-final on Thursday in Tbilisi. Kick-off is at 5pm Irish time, with the game live on RTÉ 2.
