Ireland’s Euro quest ended after loss to Germany in Tallaght
By Daire Walsh
The Euro 2022 dream for the Republic of Ireland women’s soccer team came to an end at the Tallaght Stadium this evening as a 3-1 defeat to pace-setters Germany consigned them to a third-place finish in Group I.
Beginning the night in the runners-up position - which would guarantee a play-off spot at the very least - the double blow of this result and Ukraine’s 2-1 home triumph over Montenegro ruled the girls in green out of contention.
Ireland v Germany (IMage: Paddy Barrett)
Captaining an Irish side that also included current Peamount United skipper Aine O’Gorman, Kilnamanagh’s Katie McCabe was at the epicentre of the first half action.
She was harshly adjudged to have upended Svenja Huth on the stroke 20 minutes, but Bayern Munich’s Lina Magull coolly slotted home the resulting penalty and Tabea Waßmuth subsequently doubled the visitors’ cushion.
A resilient Ireland gained a lifeline at the tail end of the opening period, when McCabe converted a spot-kick of her own after former Peamount star Denise O’Sullivan was fouled close to the target.
This was the first goal the Germans had conceded in the campaign and it left Ireland with a fighting chance of getting the result they needed.
Tallaght’s Katie McCabe gave Ireland a chance when she converted a penalty (IMage: Paddy Barrett)
Despite being second best in possession on the restart, Ireland had opportunities to break forward and the raiding McCabe pulled a shot past the left-hand post in the 62nd minute.
However, news filtered through in the final-quarter that Ukraine had taken the lead in Kiev and with Waßmuth doubling her tally five minutes from time, a brave Irish effort fell just short in Tallaght.
