It was always going to be a big task for Ireland to go to Grenoble and defeat the French to secure automatic qualification to the 2027 World Cup and it wasn’t to be for Carla Ward’s team on the night thanks to a moment of brilliant acrobatics from Melvine Malard.
Here are our player ratings.
Courtney Brosnan – 7
It was a busy first half for Brosnan as France looked to have the better of Ireland. She was forced into a save from Grace Geyero within the first three minutes and another one after just six minutes as Sandy Baltimore tried a shot down the same left side. There was little she could do for Malard’s goal which went in over her head.
She wasn’t as busy in the second half as Ireland found their rhythm a bit more in the game but remained calm and composed under the balls that did come her way.
Chloe Mustaki – 6
It was a big night for the Irish defence but there were a few moments for Mustaki where gaps began to show. She overcovered on 24 minutes to give France a bit too much space to run into the box for one of their most dangerous chances.
She recovered well to ensure they didn’t get through on goal but it was emblematic of a difficult night.
Caitlin Hayes – 9
Hayes, alongside Anna Patten, were Ireland’s two standout players of the game. When France were hammering the Irish goal in the opening quarter of the game she was on the end of many blocks to keep them out.
Her slight touch on Bacha’s long range hit proved enough to keep it sailing over the bar but the defining moment of her game perhaps came in the second half when she pulled off a beautiful sliding tackle deep into the box on 86 minutes to keep France from doubling their lead.
Caitlin Hayes rises above the French for a crucial intervention in the first half
Anna Patten – 8
As with Hayes, Patten showed many moments of brilliant discipline to stop the French. She stopped Sandy Baltimore in the box and then produced a great header to clear the ball from the resulting corner.
She even had her own moment to bring Ireland level in the second half when Ireland won a free-kick. McCabe took the set piece and found Patten at the far post and was it not for a great save from Picaud it could have been the opening moment for Ireland.
Aoife Mannion – 6
Played some good balls into Carusa in the first half. She could have gotten closer to Malard for the goal but few would have expected the backwards shot that ensued. Did well later to hold up Malard at the start of the second half when Brosnan and Patten got caught out a bit. She remained calm and took the ball around the Manchester United player to clear it.
Katie McCabe – 6
It wasn’t one of McCabe’s best nights in a green jersey. A couple of set pieces and shots went awry, especially towards the end of the second half when you could see that the frustration was starting to dig in at the lack of scoring opportunities that Ireland had managed to create.
Had a brilliant opportunity towards the end of the game to produce one of her speciality free-kicks but the French lined up well against it and snuffed out the opportunity relatively easy.
It wasn’t to be for Katie McCabe and Ireland
Marissa Sheva – 7
Well known for her ability to just keep running, her engine was put to good use tonight. A yellow card in the first half for a jersey tug meant she had to be careful going forward but it didn’t stop her from getting involved in the game.
She had a brilliant chance on 65 minutes to score when she was right in on Picaud but instead of putting the ball either side of the goalkeeper shot it straight at her.
Megan Connolly – 6
Struggled to make an impact on the game in the way she would have liked. Got her head on the ball to clear from the French corner ahead of the goal but unfortunately helped put it in the path of Melvine Malard who created a moment of brilliance to put her side ahead.
Pulled on the hour mark for Jess Ziu.
Denise O’Sullivan – 6
Two fouls in quick succession from O’Sullivan in the opening four minutes summed up much of the first 15 for Ireland as they struggled to keep up with the French. She had an opportunity to lob Picaud in the first half after the goalkeeper was caught in a challenge with Carusa. On reflection, she potentially had time to take an extra touch and give herself some time to get it on target.
Dogged as ever off the ball, O’Sullivan struggled at times with her own touch as the French did a good job of blocking her out of the game.
Kyra Carusa – 8
It was a relatively thankless night for Ireland’s forwards, especially in the first half, as they struggled to make inroads. Carusa showed though why she has become a stalwart in this Irish side owing to her hold-up play. With most of the Irish play coming down her side of the pitch, she put in a lot of effort to try and get Ireland into attacking positions.
She had one of the closest goal moments of the game for Ireland on 58 minutes when she dummied the ball and the pass from O’Sullivan had her in on goal but she just couldn’t get the ball out from under her own feet with the pressure from the French defence.
Kyra Carusa impressed in a trying effort
Emily Murphy – 6
After shining in Ireland’s previous windows it was a night of a lot of running with little return for Murphy. Ghosts of qualifications past will have cropped up for Irish fans when her long back pass to Brosnan after 20 minutes looked like it was destined to go in.
She came into the game more in the second half and looked like she was away one-on-one with Picaud after a superb pass from Jess Ziu. Samoura pulled her down, though, and after a second yellow Ireland got the player advantage which allowed them to come into the game more.
Substitutes
Jess Ziu (60 mins for Connolly) – 8
As with in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the introduction of Ziu brought a brilliant injection of pace and excitement to Ireland. A sublime pass from her to Murphy brought the red card and you would wonder if she had more minutes under her belt over the last couple of months could she have had a longer impact on the game.
Either way, the future is bright if she can remain fit.
Abbie Larkin (69 mins for Carusa) – 8
Much like with Ziu, Larkin coming into the game brought Ireland on to a new level. Fortunate perhaps with the player advantage but she made an argument tonight that she could have come onto the pitch earlier. She will rue the chance she had on 78 minutes to put Ireland ahead but once again France’s Picaud was there to keep the advantage to the home side.
Amber Barrett (88 mins for Marissa Sheva)
There was little time for Barrett to pull off the heroics that we saw from her against Netherlands on Friday.
Saoirse Noonan (88 mins for Aoife Mannion)
As with Barrett, there were very few chances for Noonan to make an impact on the game but after her great season with Celtic she’ll be hoping to impress in the play-offs.
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