Ireland battle bravely but Germany are in a different class and win in style

Republic of Ireland 1 

Germany 3

IRELAND'S dream of reaching the Women’s European Championship in 2022 is over as they were beaten 3-1 by Germany in Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday evening.

With Ukraine defeating 10-player Montenegro in Kiev at the same time, only a win would be enough to see Ireland secure the final playoff spot.

But goals from Lina Magull and a Tabea Wassmuth brace earned the Germans the victory against a spirited Irish side, who responded in vain through Katie McCabe.

Vera Pauw named Denise O’Sullivan in the heart of her side with the Knocknaheeny native winning her 80th cap for her country while Cork City’s Éabha O’Mahony trained with the squad for the last nine days but was omitted from the matchday squad.

Ireland restricted their opponents to shots from distance early on with Magull firing harmlessly wide of the far post after five minutes.

Germany had scored 43 goals in just seven games coming into this fixture and they were gifted a glorious opportunity to take the lead in the 21st minute as they were awarded a penalty.

Captain Svenja Huth skipped past Katie McCabe before dangling her leg out to catch the Irish skipper. The referee bought it, allowing Bayern Munich’s Lina Magull to slot the ball just out of the reach of goalkeeper Grace Moloney.

Germany went close before the half-hour but following an incisive move involving Linda Dallmann and Huth, Moloney made a brilliant save to deny Wassmuth’s close-range effort.

But the visitors kept the move alive and after Wassmuth regained the ball on the edge of the penalty area, she curled a superb strike just inside the far post.

The Republic continued to battle and they halved the deficit after Denise O’Sullivan won a penalty. McCabe missed a crucial spot-kick in their significant loss to Ukraine last time out but she nervelessly blasted the ball into the top left corner for the first goal Germany have conceded this campaign.

Wassmuth was unfortunate to see a thunderous strike hit the crossbar at the beginning of the second half but she would grab her second late on when she cut onto her left and bent her attempt into the far corner of the net.

Ireland’s best chance in the second period fell to McCabe but after being teed up by O’Sullivan and Ruesha Littlejohn, she sliced wide of the near post as Ireland’s wait to qualify for a first-ever women’s tournament goes on.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Grace Moloney, Aine O'Gorman, Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell, Jamie Finn, Niamh Fahey, Denise O'Sullivan, Ruesha Littlejohn, Heather Payne, Katie McCabe, Rianne Jarrett.

Subs: Amber Barrett for Riana Jarrett (55), Ellen Molloy for Jamie Finn (80).

GERMANY: Ann-Katrin Berger, Lena Oberdorf, Sydney Lohmann, Kathrin-Julia Hendrich, Marina Hegering, Lina Magull, Melanie Leupolz, Linda Dallmann, Svenja Huth, Klara Buhl, Tabea Wassmuth.

Subs: Dzsenifer Marozsan for Linda Dallmann (ht), Pia-Sophie Wolter for Kathrin-Julia Hendrich (62), Lea Schuller for Klara Buhl (75), Lena Lattwein for Linda Magull (75).

Referee: Sara Persson (Sweden).