Hat-trick hero Denise O'Sullivan plays her part as Ireland register a record win over Georgia

Republic of Ireland 11

Georgia 0

CORK'S Denise O'Sullivan is now the second-highest goalscorer in the history of the Republic of Ireland women’s side as she netted a sensational hat-trick in their record-breaking 11-0 win against Georgia at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The Knocknaheeny native scored from close-range, long-range, and with a header on a memorable night as Ireland secured the win they needed to climb into second and the only playoff spot in Group A with a plus 11 goal difference.

It was also a special night for fellow Leesider Saoirse Noonan, who scored her first senior goal in just her second appearance before Megan Connolly completed the scoring as the Irish recorded their biggest ever winning margin.

Georgia’s first three games in this 2023 World Cup qualification campaign has seen them concede 12 goals - four against Sweden, three against Finland, and two against Slovakia - while they have failed to score a single goal in reply.

Ireland knew they couldn’t afford to drop points to the side sitting 90 places behind them in the FIFA World Rankings if they were to have any hope of reaching the playoffs and they started the game perfectly.

It took the Girls in Green just four minutes to make their superiority count although they did receive a helping hand as defender Maiko Bebia turned Katie McCabe’s dangerous cross past her own goalkeeper.

The home side remained dominant but it wasn’t until the 21st minute that they finally doubled their lead to put them in complete control of this fixture.

American-born striker Kyra Carusa received FIFA international clearance to represent Ireland in February 2020 having qualified through grandparents on her mother’s side with her grandfather Tony Lucey coming from Cork.

And she grabbed her first international goal here as she stooped low to cleverly nod Louise Quinn’s header from a McCabe corner into the far bottom-right corner.

And with 38 minutes on the clock, the Irish all but sealed an important victory when Lucy Quinn fired home following an excellent move for her first goal for her country.

Diane Caldwell’s incisive pass inside was brilliantly turned into McCabe’s path down the left-hand side by O’Sullivan. And from there the Arsenal winger produced another excellent cross to pick out Quinn at the back post and her powerful drive beat the keeper at her near post.

Having played a huge part in the build-up to their third, O’Sullivan would notch her side’s fourth goal with the last kick of the first half as she hammered home from a few yards out.

The playmaker sensed a chance to add more goals in the second period and she would complete her hat trick either side of the hour mark as she curled a superb effort into the far top left corner before directing her header into the bottom right corner to make it 6-0.

Georgia’s misery was compounded when Maiko Bebia was shown a second yellow card for handling inside the area and McCabe slotted into the net from the spot before blasting in from distance to make it 8-0 after 74 minutes.

Then came the moment Noonan dreamt of as she slotted in her first senior goal from a couple of yards before Barrett and Connolly did likewise to make it a record-breaking night.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Courtney Brosnan; Jessica Ziu, Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell; Ruesha Littlejohn, Megan Connolly; Lucy Quinn, Denise O’Sullivan, Katie McCabe; Kyra Carusa.

Subs: Roma McLaughlin for Quinn (67), Ciara Grant for Littlejohn (67), Saoirse Noonan for Carusa (75), Amber Barrett for Ziu (75).

GEORGIA: Teona Sukhashvili; Mariam Kalandadze, Nino Sutidze, Tamari Tatuashvili, Irina Khaburdzania; Nino Pasikashvili, Natia Danelia; Maiko Bebia, Natela Tsotseria, Ana Cheminava; Khatia Tchkonia.

Subs: Ani Dzadzua for Pasikashvili (40), Anastasia Bolkvadze for Khaburdzania (ht), Mariam Danelia for Tsotseria (64).

Referee: Jurgita Macikunyte (Lithuania).