Nobody gave them a prayer. At the start of this League A2 campaign, the Republic of Ireland were the group’s designated whipping girls, bottom seeds destined for a swift reality check. Yet, here we are. On Tuesday in Grenoble, Carla Ward’s side face France with automatic World Cup qualification on the line. Win, and they book a ticket to Brazil. Lose, and it’s back to the grueling lottery of the play-offs. It is a ridiculous, beautiful scenario that seemed like pure fantasy just months ago.
The road here wasn’t paved with luck. Back in March, they went toe-to-toe with the heavyweights, France and the Netherlands, only to end up on the wrong side of two agonizing 2-1 defeats. The knives were sharpening. But Ward’s squad didn’t blink. Under immense pressure in April, they ground out two crucial victories against Poland, securing a seeded play-off spot and quietly building a head of steam.
Then came Friday. A chaotic, wet night in Cork. Against the top-seeded Dutch, Ireland refused to lie down, snatching a thrilling 3-2 win to pull within a single point of France. While the pundits wrote them off after those March defeats, the dressing room kept the faith. Striker Kyra Carusa, who opened the scoring in Cork, insisted the belief never wavered. They wanted control of their own destiny. They got it.
It’s a hell of a turnaround for Ward. Remember her second game in charge? A humiliating 4-0 drubbing by Slovenia had the skeptics calling for her head. She silenced them. Ward built a stubborn, resilient unit. The back three of Caitlin Hayes, Anna Patten, and Chloe Mustaki has become a fortress. Marissa Sheva anchors the midfield, while Carusa provides the teeth upfront.
Friday’s triumph was even sweeter because they did it the hard way. Missing suspended stars Denise O’Sullivan and Emily Murphy, Ward had to rely on her depth. The deputies delivered. Ruehsa Littlejohn and Jess Ziu bossed their roles, while Abbie Larkin and Amber Barrett came off the bench to find the net. Barrett, of course, loves a late winner—just ask Scotland about her 2023 heroics.
Now, the ultimate test. France in their own backyard. Ireland have shown they can take a punch and punch back harder. They will need every ounce of that grit on Tuesday. A draw isn’t fatal, but nobody wants the play-off headache. The Irish are going to Grenoble with nothing to lose and a score to settle after that painful late defeat in Tallaght. Carusa and company are ready to roll the dice. If they pull off one more miracle, it’s time to dust off the passports.
