Amber Barrett has said that Ireland ‘don’t have anything to lose’ when they face France in Grenoble tomorrow night.
Barrett was speaking after a monumental night for Irish football that saw the striker come off the bench to score the winner. That goal completed a 3-2 victory over Netherlands at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and kept Ireland’s hopes of automatic FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification alive.
Barrett spoke to the media following the Ireland victory and The Halfway Line was there to hear from the Strasbourg striker from Donegal.
McCabe’s goal against Sweden was ‘motivation’ for Dutch win says Barrett
In the final moments of Friday’s tense late victory against Netherlands, Amber Barrett stepped up with yet another vital goal in an Irish World Cup qualifying campaign. Barrett was asked how that feeling tonight, scoring the winner, compared to the feeling on that famous night at Hampden Park,
“Do you know what, it’s actually very hard to compare because Hampden was the final” Barrett said. “This is kind of the semi-final tonight in a way. Having moments that have such an impact on potentially where we end up and being a part of that is extremely special.
“We looked at an incredible video today as nearly a source of motivation. We actually went back to Katie’s [McCabe’s] goal against Sweden away in 2022.
“We talked about how important that moment was, even though we drew the game, that result was so important for us getting to the World Cup. Maybe that was our moment tonight and it wasn’t just Kyra’s [Carusa’s] goal.
“It was conceding a penalty, and straight away, Abbie [Larkin] straight up the other end, scoring a goal, it just killed their momentum straight away.
“Then they got back into the game again, but we just always had that quiet sense of belief, and I think we’re definitely going to have it going into Tuesday as well now.”
Late victory was ‘euphoric’ delights Amber Barrett
Despite how effective Barrett can be off the bench, she wants to shed that tag as a super sub. It was put to her that perhaps she did herself no favours in that regard on Friday night,
“No, definitely not!” laughed Barrett. “But I’m delighted, really, really delighted. I don’t really have a lot of words to describe that. It’s euphoric. It’s unbelievable. It’s just so much pride and gratitude.
“That was incredible. I don’t know what it is about me coming on in this campaign, but every time I come on, it’s absolutely chaos.
“I would just love a game when we’re in full control and it’s nice and easy but that’s just not the case. When the goal went in, it was extremely special, but then the final whistle was just bliss.
“Amazing for us to get the result, but it’s exactly what we were looking for today and we have one more game now on Tuesday and anything can happen.”
Barrett cautious of ‘talented group’ in France
Since moving to Strasbourg earlier this year Amber Barrett has scored a number of goals against French defences this season, The Halfway Line asked her if she fancied scoring against one more?
“I wouldn’t mind at all, definitely not” Barrett replied. “There’s a lot of the girls in the French squad that I’ve come up against in the last six months, so I definitely know them very, very well, but also a very, very talented group.
“I know they’ve brought in a couple of younger players who probably weren’t in the last couple of squads and have done amazing things in the league.
“The only way we’re going to get anything out of Tuesday is if we are at our absolute best, and I think that’s what everybody knows, and everybody’s well aware of.”
Amber Barrett says Ireland ‘don’t have anything to lose’
Ahead of the France match, head coach Carla Ward described the League A, Group 2 finale as a cup final. The Halfway Line asked Barrett how she prepares for a game like that,
“It is a cup final in the way that a win takes us to the World Cup, but also we don’t have anything to lose” explained Barrett. “We’ve secured our position in either second or third place in the group, depending on the next couple of results.
“I think at the very start, everybody was trying to avoid position four because of what way you go through the playoffs.
“So I think that the fact that we got to the point where we did now, where we’re in contention to potentially win the group, it’s amazing character and resilience shown by this group.”
