The Republic of Ireland completed a productive training camp in Spain with a 4-1 victory over Switzerland on Thursday afternoon.
24th Feb 2022
In the first meeting between the two teams, Ireland lost 3-1 to the Swiss but they won this encounter.
Captain Tara O’Hanlon led her team out on another hot afternoon in Spain. Ireland started the game much stronger, passing the ball around with composure and determination to win the second friendly.
It was Switzerland who got the goals rolling with great individual skill from Imán Beney who beat the Irish defence to make it 1-0 in the 10th minute.That didn’t deter Ireland’s plan for the game however.
After a few promising chances and a goal called for offside, Ireland’s equaliser eventually came in the 27th minute when Orlaith O’Mahony’s cross was deflected back to Jodie Loughrey who put it in the back of the net.
The second Irish goal came in the 36th minute, after fantastic work from Chloe Atkinson winning the ball back on the right-hand side. She played a through ball to Joy Ralph who slotted the ball into the bottom right corner, Ireland 2-1. The Girls in Green maintained dominance to finish out the first half on top.
Ralph kicked us off for the second half, with Ireland hoping to improve on their first-half showing. The Swiss almost equalised in the 50th minute after Beney was through on goal again, but Eve Dossen came to the rescue for the Girls in Green, clearing the ball out for a corner.
Ireland’s third came swiftly after, and in the 58th minute Atkinson put another great ball into the box, it was spilled by the Swiss keeper and Ralph pounced to get her second of the game.
Substitutes Lia O’Leary, Aoife Kelly, Keri Loughrey, Heidi Mackin, Heidi O’Sullivan and Michaela Lawrence made a huge impact when they came on, with Lawrence scoring Ireland’s fourth, a blazing header from a corner late on in the game.
A fantastic showing for the Girls in Green and with 4-1 being the final score. The WU17’s will continue to work towards their UEFA European Championship Phase 2 Qualifiers in Dublin this March.
Republic of Ireland: Summer Lawless, Kate Thompson, Eve Dossen, Aoibhe Fleming (Heidi Mackin 78), Tara O’ Hanlon, Orlaith O’ Mahony, Sophie Morrin (Aoife Kelly 60), Jodie Loughrey (Michaela Lawrence 60), Chloe Atkinson (Lia O’Leary 60), Katie McCarn (Heidi O’Sullivan, 70), Joy Ralph (Keri Loughrey 78). |
