Republic of Ireland crashed out of contention for the 2025 European Championships after an eventful defeat at home to Wales. Ireland rallied late in the game pulling a goal back through Anna Patten but they were unable to overturn the woes incurred earlier in the second half.
Crestfallen, three Irish players, Megan Connolly, Jessie Stapleton and Kyra Carusa, each demonstrating tremendous strength of character came to speak with the press after the game as the jubilant scenes of Welsh celebrations were audibly overflowing just next door. The Halfway Line looks back on a heart breaking evening in Dublin.
Ireland gave themselves ‘a mountain to climb’ reflects Connolly
Failing to capitalise on the better side of the momentum in the opening half, Ireland were left chasing as Wales took hold of the scoreline after the break. Connolly was asked about coming on after Ireland were already two goals behind, to which she assessed “I think we were the better team in the first half.”
“In the second half as the game went on, it’s getting a bit more scrappier, and you get a chance and they took it,” continued Connolly.
“Obviously, the penalty was a big opportunity for them. We would have taken something like that as well. It’s unfortunate. Then obviously the second goal comes against the run of play. We’re pushing, we’re pushing, trying to get an equaliser, and then they get the goal. It’s a mountain to climb then. They’re doing the time wasting and everything, which we would do the same position. So it was just a mountain to climb in the end, and we almost got there.”
Irish squad ‘devastated’ after Wales defeat
The night did not go to plan for Ireland, who spurned a number of great chances to score in the first half before conceding a penalty early in the second. Lazio’s Megan Connolly who came on late in the game after Ireland were already two goals down each player was asked what went wrong.
“I mean everyone is devastated, if I’m being honest I don’t have much words at the minute,” said Connolly. “It’s quite something to process. I think coming into the game today, everyone was ready. Everyone had a good feeling, we wanted to put our best foot forward.”
Connolly continued,“it was a tough first half. Going into the second half, it was even. Obviously, them getting the goals gave us a bit of a mountain to climb, and obviously the players coming on trying to make an impact and try help the girls out on the pitch. On another day we could have got another one, but everyone’s just devastated.”
Young star Jessie Stapleton weighed in on the experience, saying “It’s heart breaking, we’re absolutely gutted.”
Stapleton continued, “I don’t think we deserve that. I think we were the better team on the night, and don’t think the referees and officials helped us in any way. But we just have to bounce back from this, it will hurt for a while and we’ll be better.”
Kyra Carusa gave her thoughts on the devastating ending for the Irish, deriving the positives from a hard night.
“It’s something that will change you and you know and will help you move forward,” Carusa said. “I can’t help but try to remind myself of how it was in Ukraine and losing that game and being in that locker room and taking those flights home and thinking that that was truly devastating and unjust, and football is football, but it just didn’t feel right. And then to see everything we’ve done and what we accomplished, the greatness that we’ve you know we came from, that I’d say stems a lot from that experience as well.”
‘One result should not define her’ says Stapleton on head coach Gleeson
Much of the post match talk will be on the future of Ireland head coach, Eileen Gleeson. With her contract expired, the FAI will need to make a decision on who they see the team’s future with. Each player was asked what the message was from Gleeson at full time and looking ahead to the future after the crushing defeat.
Connolly was sure to remind the media that “life goes on” and Ireland “need to be better” when push comes to shove.
“Some teams are prepping for next summer, and we’re prepping to be better and make sure this doesn’t happen again. We need to try process this and we need to be better, because we want to be at major tournaments. We hoped to be at next summer’s one and it didn’t go that way, so we have to learn from this.”
Stapleton was fast to defend Gleeson, expressing that “I think she’s been incredible”.
“She’s put a lot of trust in me,” Stapleton continued. “I feel like I’ve developed a lot under her, so I’d love to see her still in the role. I don’t think one result should define her. We’ve came on a lot as a team under Eilo, so I back her as a manager.”
Carusa was also asked for comment on the Irish head coach’s future, to which she responded “I think that they all have only bolstered us and really drawn us together and created an environment that reminded us that there’s always the next step, there’s always growth, there’s always the next to come. I can’t thank them enough for that, and I think it’s really, it’s really changed a lot in this team, and it’s felt, it’s felt across the board, across the team.”
‘I was so proud’ reflects Stapleton after a bittersweet night for the young star
Speaking after the game, Stapleton was given the biggest start of her career so far. She was asked about the emotions in that moment, expressing “I was so proud when I heard that I was starting.”
“It was probably one of the proudest moments of my career. Obviously doesn’t feel like that right now, because we didn’t win the game. But yeah, I was just happy to be part of the game, but hopefully I can be a part of the team going forward as well.”
At the end of the match the Irish players went over to thank the Irish support despite the defeat. They received a spine tingling ovation from the home support. Speaking on what the support meant to herself and the team, Stapleton said “It was massive, their support.”
“Even when we went 2-0 down and they were still with us to get that goal. I think if there’s another five minutes in the game, we could have got back. But without their support, I don’t think we would have went that far. So massive thanks for them coming in afterwards.”
‘There are still great things to accomplish‘ affirms Carusa
The Halfway Line asked Carusa about all the positive progress that Ireland have made throughout this campaign, a side that has beaten France and come within a play off of a first ever European Championships and how that can be transferred to the upcoming campaign.
“It’s great to see how much we’ve clicked,” said the San Diego Wave striker. “In these brief moments, in these brief camps, to be able to connect and play with these the players around us in a better way. I think the biggest thing is to take is that, there’s still growth, and that there are still great things to accomplish.”
“Together, we’re going to be able to be doing that together and create another opportunity for us in the near future to be able to finish a game like this and be in a locker room in a very different capacity- in a winning kind of capacity.”
Carusa left one final message when asked about how Ireland will look to continue their fight, affirming that “It doesn’t stop here.”
“There is tomorrow and there are still things to be done, and there are still things to move forward with. This doesn’t stop momentum for us, or the message that we’re pushing and showing to Ireland of the development of women’s football here.”
“It doesn’t stop here. It won’t stop. This just doesn’t deter that in any capacity, and I think that was a huge message to remind us that tomorrow will be tomorrow, and the next day will be the next day, and we will be back and we will go again.”
Ireland will have to pick themselves up in February when their UEFA Nations League campaign gets underway in League B and the long road of World Cup qualification truly begins.
