Our senior women took on the World Champions USA in a friendly international at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday the 3rd August. The match kicked-off at 7.25pm local time (3.25am Sunday morning in Ireland)and the hosts ran out comfortable three nil winners. The goals all came in the first half but Ireland did baton down the hatches and produced a much more resilient second half performance.
Following the recent departure of former Head Coach Colin Bell, his coaching assistant Tom O’Connor took temporary charge of the side for this encounter.
There is growing speculation that the hugely successful Germany U19 and U20 coach Maren Meinert is set to be appointed as the new Republic of Ireland Senior Women’s Head Coach. Meinert has an impressive record at underage level with Germany where she has led the U19 side to three European Championships and the U20 side to two World Cups.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Marie Hourihan(SC Braga), Grace Moloney(Reading)
Defenders: Diane Caldwell(SC Sand), Lauren Dwyer(Wexford WFC), Niamh Fahey(Liverpool), Eabha O’Mahony(Cork City), Claire O’Riordan(MSV Duisburg), Louise Quinn(Arsenal), Harriet Scott(Birmingham City)
Midfielders: Niamh Farrelly(Peamount United), Jess Gargan(Shelbourne), Alex Kavanagh (Shelbourne), Eleanor Ryan-Doyle(Peamount United), Claire Walsh(Peamount United)
Forwards: Amber Barrett(FC Koln), Rianna Jarrett(Wexford WFC), Katie McCabe(Arsenal), Heather Payne(Florida State University), Emily Whelan(Shelbourne)