Ireland cruise into play-off finals against Wales after comfortable 3-0 win over Georgia in Tallaght

Republic of Ireland 3

Georgia 0

The Republic of Ireland Women's National Team are through to the Euro 2025 play-off round against Wales after their extra time win over Slovakia, after beating Georgia 3-0 at Tallaght Stadium, which gave Eileen Gleeson’s side a 9-0 aggregate victory in the tie on Tuesday night.

The Girls in Green already had one foot in the next round before kick-off in Dublin as they won the first meeting with their Eastern European rivals 6-0 in Tiblisi last week.

With such a commanding lead, Ireland cemented their status with a goal laden performance that saw Julie Ann-Russell, Kyra Carusa, and Katie McCabe hit the back of the net.

This was done with a rotated team from Friday that had Courtney Brosnan back in between the posts after a brief appearance by Grace Moloney in Georgia, and Jessie Stapleton and Marissa Sheva replaced Lily Agg and Tyler Toland.

The changes meant very little as Ireland took the lead in the third minute when Carusa broke a long McCabe pass down to Sheeva for a close range shot. Tatia Gabunia parried that into the path of Russell and the Galway United forward fired in with her right boot.

It didn’t take too long to get the second, and it was Carusa who hit the back of the net this time. 

Stapleton set this up by dinking a ball from Anna Patten to the striker, who finished cleanly in the 31st minute.

A penalty was awarded to Ireland just 90 seconds later over a foul on Carusa by Mariam Kalandadze and McCabe hit this over the bar.

The Girls in Green could have got a second at the end of the first half as a Stapleton shot was palmed down to Russell for a side footed attempt that went out for a goal-kick. 

It wasn’t to be and the team went into the break with a comfortable 2-0, 8-0 aggregate, lead in the tie.

The fourth goal arrived in the 55th minute when O’Sullivan fed the ball through to McCabe after a corner and the full-back fired into the bottom corner.

Ireland did not relax with their commanding lead and comfortable cushion. Gleeson’s players continued to probe and poke at the Georgia defence, while substitutes like Heather Payne ran into wide positions.

The more the team passed, the more gaps started appearing inside the penalty area. 

McCabe created a big one with Sheeva in the 67th minute and Russell tried to finish this off by squaring to an on-rushing Agg. 

Gabunia got in the way of this with a simple save that kept the scoreboard reading 3-0.

Leanne Kiernan was brought on in the 73rd minute and the striker announced her arrival with a tame shot that was easily blocked down.

At that point in the game, O’Sullivan was wearing the captain’s armband as McCabe had been taken off.

The fourth goal wasn’t to be despite some good play by Ireland during the time left to play in Tallaght. 

It didn’t matter in the end as the supporters were starting to think of the two-legged play-offs in December and a possible first ever appearance at the European Championship next summer.

Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Jessie Stapleton, Caitlin Hayes, Marissa Sheva, Denise O'Sullivan, Katie McCabe, Anna Patten, Aoife Mannion, Kyra Carusa, Abbie Larkin, Julie Russell.

Subs: Lily Agg for Mannion (HT); Heather Payne for Carusa (58), Izzy Atkinson for Larkin (58), Leanne Kiernan for McCabe (72), Ellen Molloy for Russell (81).

Georgia: Tatia Gabunia; Gantsa Kadagishvili, Nino Chkhartishvili, Natia Danelia, Teona Bakradze, Irina Khaburdzania, Ana Cheminava, Sopiko Narsia, Salome Gasviani, Nino Bukhrikidze, Mariam Kalandadze.

Subs: Tinatin Ambalia for Khaburdzania (61); Maiko Bebia for Bakradze (61), Nino Pasikashvili for Cheminava (88).

Referee: Katalin Kulcsár (Hungary).