Greece 0 Republic of Ireland 4 as it happened: Carla Ward’s side get Nations League back on track
Here is Gavin’s match report:[ Amber Barrett on target as Ireland hammer Greece with strong second-half displayOpens in new window ]That’s all from me, good evening!Stay tuned for Gavin Cummiskey’s match report which will be landing shortly.FT: GREECE 0 REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 4Ireland manager Carla Ward has been speaking to RTÉ after the win:“It’s the players that deserve the credit, I keep saying it. We’ve not had long on the grass, they’re implementing the things we did in the week that have come to life today, particularly in the second half. It was great to see. [McCabe and Sheva] have come on and they’ve made a huge difference. Just being able to stretch and being able to play with a bit more intensity allowed us to dominate the game and I though the second half was superb.”On Ireland’s subdued first half, Ward said: “At half time it was actually a really calm message. It was, you know, ‘just remember what we’re going after’. We probably weren’t looking at the spaces we wanted to, we probably weren’t looking to stretch it, I think stretching it gives you the right to play and drops them off, so we needed to do that a little bit more and we did that, increase the tempo a little more, start to engage them a little bit more, and when we did that I thought it was much better.“[The players] deserve an awful lot of credit because we’ve had, what, seven tactical session as a group? You’ve got to take your hat off to the players because they’re delivering, they’re listening, they’re putting into practice, and yeah, second half was superb.”FT: GREECE 0 REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 4A big win for Ireland will breath confidence back into the team at the midway point of the Nations League group stages.Slovenia currently lead Turkey 3-0 in their Group 2 fixture (that game is just beyond the hour mark in Ljubljana), which would leave the table unchanged, Ireland remaining behind Slovenia in second.Carla Ward’s side will welcome Greece to Tallaght Stadium next Tuesday for the return leg. Their return trip to Turkey comes on May 30th, before they end their group campaign at home to Slovenia on June 3rd.FT: GREECE 0 REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 4Ireland’s goals coming from Marissa Sheva (49 mins), Kyra Carusa (61), Jessie Stapleton (74) and Amber Barrett (90+3)And there’s the full-time whistle.A brilliant second half from Ireland earns Carla Ward’s side a 4-0 win away to Greece.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 4GOAL FOR IRELAND!Amber Barrett scores in added time to mark her 50th cap in style.Greece 0-4 Rep of IrelandAmber Barrett puts the icing on the cake with goal no. 4 #COYGIG #GREIRL📱 Updates - https://t.co/GyKXm91yDy📺 Watch - https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7 pic.twitter.com/zzaabzff6n — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 4, 2025Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 4Denis O’Sullivan denied what would have been a wonder of a goal. Her looping shot was on target but goalkeeper Nasi did well to get behind it.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 3Emily Murphy comes in for Lucy Quinn.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 3They’re into the final 10 minutes (less the extras) now.Ireland still pushing for another goal. Could help their goal differential later down the line.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 3Abbie Larkin finds the net but the flag has been raised for offside.Carla Ward makes a change – Kyra Carusa replaced by Amber Barrett, earning her 50th cap.50 Caps.Congratulations to our Amber Barrett on reaching 50 caps for Ireland 🇮🇪🤩 pic.twitter.com/YodvakazHu — Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) April 4, 2025Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 3GOAL FOR IRELAND!Jessie Stapleton gets a header to McCabe’s corner kick.It all came from the good work of Denise O’Sullivan, whose shot was tipped out by goalkeeper Nasi to send it out for an Ireland corner.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 3Ireland have really found their rhythm. After their solid first half Greece seem to be floundering.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 2McCabe back standing over a free kick. She floats the ball in but again the referee blows the whistle. Push in the back from Anna Patten.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 2Kyra’s poachers finish that has us two up 👊How about that ball in from Katie though 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EuOUHZri6G — Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) April 4, 2025GOAL FOR IRELAND!McCabe sends an inch-perfect cross in to Leanne Kiernan who shoots.Goalkeeper Nasi gets in the block but Kyra Carusa nets the rebounding ball.That’s all from Kiernan as she’s subbed, Abbie Larkin taking her place. Great shift put in by the Cavan woman.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 2And now Katie McCabe picks up a yellow card to add to her collection.A push on Ntarzanou is spotted by the official.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 1Yellow card for Ireland’s assistant coach Alan Mahon.And it’s his birthday.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 1Katie McCabe is already making her presence known, adding pace to Ireland’s attack.Kiernan’s cross comes off a Greek defender to give Ireland the corner which McCabe steps up for.The captain sends it in but Greece have a critical mass in the box to see it out.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 1GOAL FOR IRELAND!Marissa Sheva gets her second international goal.Greece 0-1 Rep of IrelandSuper sub Marissa Sheva breaks the deadlock in Crete #COYGIG #GREIRL📱 Updates - https://t.co/GyKXm91yDy📺 Watch - https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7 pic.twitter.com/P9brUUj5bE — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 4, 2025The half-time substitute sends in the shot which deflects off two Greek defenders to bounce beyond goalkeeper Nasi.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 1Early free kick gives McCabe the chance to step up.She goes straight for the shot but its high.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Back under way in Crete. Katie McCabe takes over the captain’s armband from Denise O’Sullivan.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Two changes for Ireland at half-time – Campbell and Toland off, McCabe and Sheva on.HT: Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Ireland will need a half-time shake-up if they’re to get firing after the break.Greece will be happy with how the first half went. They put Courtney Brosnan’s goal under some mild pressure for a spell, but more importantly crowded out Ireland’s attacking efforts.If things remain as is, Greece would pick up their first point of the campaign, a result they wouldn’t turn down.HT: Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0A frustrating half for Ireland. Carla Ward’s side are focusing on the midfield and managing in defence, but the attack hasn’t been at the races.Leanne Kiernan has been enthusiastic up front, even if it has put her on the referee’s watch list, but she’s been covered well.HT: Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0HALF-TIME: GREECE 0 REP OF IRELAND 0Another Campbell long throw, another blow of the referee’s whistle.Ball has hardly made it to the box before referee Jelena Pejković awards Greece the free. Confusion among the Ireland players as to what the free is for, but on we go.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Ireland get a corner and Lucy Quinn steps up. She plays it to Littlejohn, who plays it back, but referee calls offside.Frustrating stuff from Ireland.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Referee has a word with Leanne Kiernan. She’s been pulled up for a few fouls now so she’d want to mind herself. Just a warning on this occasion.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Campbell sends a long arcing ball into the box. Kiernan and Carusa lie in wait but Greece’s goalkeeper Nasi is solid under the dropping ball once again.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Nice shot from Greece’s Sarri. Her running shot off the right goes just north of the crossbar, Littlejohn keeping her under pressure.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Free kick for Ireland.Littlejohn steps up and rolls to Campbell who takes a shot off the left but its high.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Ireland’s goal is coming under a bit of an assault, but Greece lacking the finesse to make it stick.Brosnan urging her defence to slow things down.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Kiernan again on the charge. She does well to play it across to O’Sullivan who find Lucy Quinn. Quinn lets off the shot but it hasn’t the power needed.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Ireland free kick.Megan Campbell sends a straight shot in but Greece goalkeeper gets up to punch it clear. She clashes with the oncoming Anna Patten on the descent and it’s a free out.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Jessie Stapleton has a great first touch to intercept a Greece pass and clear the lines.The home side are holding possession well up the field but their attempts on goal are flustered.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Megan Campbell sends in one of her signature long throw-ins which Greece fail to deal with. Ball find Littlejohn who makes the shot but it’s not her best effort, trailing well left of the post.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Cross in to Kiernan in the box. She goes up to meet it but is under pressure and the effort comes to nothing.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Kiernan makes a good run down the wing but is brought down. Referee, however, calls no foul so it’s a goal kick for Greece.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Ireland looking comfortable on the ball. Anna Patten stays calm in the corner to clip her pass off a Greek player to send it out for a goal kick.Brosnan’s kick puts Ireland back on the push.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0And they’re off. Denise O’Sullivan gets things under way.Greece 0 Rep of Ireland 0Ireland are currently ranked 26th in the Fifa women’s world rankings, while Greece are down in 61st.For Carla Ward’s side anything other than the full three points will be a disappointment.We’re almost ready to go.Time for the anthems.Before kick-off in Crete, this is how the Group 2 Nations League B table is looking:Slovenia – 6 ptsRepublic of Ireland – 3 ptsTurkey – 3 ptsGreece – 0 ptsFifteen-minute warning. The game is being televised live on RTÉ 2.Here’s how Ireland will line out against Greece. Kick-off 3pm.IRELAND XI: Courtney Brosnan, Jessie Stapleton, Megan Campbell, Aoife Mannion, Tyler Toland, Ruesha Littlejohn, Denise O’Sullivan (capt), Anna Patten, Lucy Quinn, Kyra Carusa, Leanne Kiernan.Substitutes: Grace Moloney, Sophie Whitehouse, Caitlin Hayes, Amber Barrett, Katie McCabe, Aoibheann Clancy, Marissa Sheva, Saoirse Noonan, Abbie Larkin, Emily Murphy, Chloe Mustaki.STARTING XI | Greece v IrelandOur eleven to kick us off against Greece in Heraklion ☘️⌚️15:00 on RTÉ2 📺 #COYGIG pic.twitter.com/mfGo4oZLat — Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) April 4, 2025“If there’s a sizeable degree of pressure on her players to atone for February’s mediocre Nations League display against Turkey and the 4-0 mauling by Slovenia, there’s plenty on the shoulders of Carla Ward too after the opening to her reign as Republic of Ireland manager,” Mary Hannigan writes, previewing this afternoon’s game.“‘That’s on me,’ she said of that first half away to Slovenia, when Ireland went 3-0 down, and while that admission was partly an attempt to take the focus off her players’ horror show, there was truth in it too.”Read Mary’s preview in full below:[ Carla Ward needs to figure out which Irish pieces go where against GreeceOpens in new window ]And just like that, Gavin Cummiskey has sent news on our starters.Jessie Stapleton, Megan Campbell, Tyler Toland and Leanne Kiernan come in for Heather Payne, Megan Connolly, Katie McCabe and Amber Barrett from Ireland’s game against Slovenia.McCabe picked up calf strain during Arsenal’s game Real Madrid but may still feature from the bench.Payne is out with an ankle injury so won’t be involved today but will be assessed ahead of Tuesday’s return visit at Tallaght Stadium.Denise O’Sullivan takes over the captain’s armband from McCabe.Here’s the Ireland squad named ahead of this afternoon’s game.IRELAND: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton), Grace Moloney (unattached); Jessie Stapleton (Sunderland – on loan from West Ham), Anna Patten (Aston Villa), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Caitlin Hayes (Brighton), Megan Campbell (London City Lionesses), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City), Katie McCabe (Arsenal); Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Ruesha Littlejohn (Shamrock Rovers), Marissa Sheva (Sunderland), Aoibheann Clancy (Shelbourne); Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Amber Barrett (Standard Liege), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Saoirse Noonan (Celtic), Emily Murphy (Newcastle United).The Republic of Ireland play Greece in Group 2 of the Nations League B hoping to return to winning ways after a 4-0 defeat to Slovenia in their last outing at the end of February.New manager Carla Ward insisted she must take the blame for the poor showing in Koper which came just four days after the Girls in Green opened their Nations League account with a 1-0 win over Turkey at Tallaght Stadium.This afternoon’s game will get under way at Theodoros Vardinogiannis Stadium in Crete at 3pm Irish time.Follow along here for live updates on all the action, including team news, match updates, and post-match commentary and analysis from our writers.
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