Katie set to make 100th appearance

THE Irish women’s national team squad has been announced ahead of their upcoming UEFA Nations League play off game against Belgium at the Aviva.

After finishing their UEFA Nations League group campaign level on points with Slovenia in League B, missing out on goal difference, Ireland now go into this two legged play off facing Belgium who are seven places ahead of them in the FIFA World Rankings.

Kilnamanagh native and Irish captain Katie McCabe is expected to earn her 100th cap for Ireland in the game.

A mainstay in the team since making her debut back in 2015. McCabe has captained her country at the World Cup and is widely recognised as the face of Irish Women’s football.

Playing for both Kilnamanagh and Templeogue as a child, these days McCabe plays her club football for Arsenal who she has made well over 150 appearances for, including winning a champions league trophy last May.

Another local addition to the squad is Jessie Stapleton.

A native of Cherry Orchard, Stapleton was previously on the books with Orchard, Peamount and Shamrock Rovers before making her breakthrough at Shelbourne where her performances caught the eye of West Ham United who signed her in 2023.

Since then she has gone on loan spells to Reading, Sunderland and Nottingham Forest.

Still only 20 years old, Stapleton has played 13 times for Ireland making her debut in 2022.

Other players involved in the squad include former Shamrock Rovers player Abbie Larkin, now playing football for Crystal Palace, former Peamount goalscorer Amber Barrett currently playing with Belgian team Standard Liege, ex Rovers keeper Katie Keane who departed for Leceister earlier on in the season alongside Ruesha Littlejohn who left during the same period as Keane which dealt Rovers a big blow mid way through their season.

The first leg will be played this Friday in the Aviva stadium with a 7pm kick off while the return leg will be held in Belgium the following Tuesday. Both matches will be broadcast live on RTE 2.