Katie McCabe breaks ranks as Ireland’s World Cup adventure ends with scoreless draw

Republic of Ireland 0 Nigeria 0

It was some time around the 70-minute mark that Ireland captain Katie McCabe turned to Ireland manager Vera Pauw with a specific demand.

Freshen up. Now.

Pauw, unmoved, seemed more concerned with Irish football’s best attacker (ever) to stay compact, keep the shape and remain at left back.

The Dutch coach ignored the request, so McCabe took over, appearing to instruct Sinead Farrelly to drop into defence so she could raid higher up the pitch.

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That’s how Ireland’s first World Cup concluded; in-game conversations as Nigeria happily devoured the clock.

At full-time, McCabe and Pauw hugged before the Irish skipper’s in-huddle speech was interrupted by Denise O’Sullivan noticing Courtney Brosnan’s giant mug on the big screen. Player of the match. Time to laugh and live a little.

Earlier, the Everton goalkeeper did her best Gordon Banks impression to deny Uchenna Kanu’s downward header.

The Super Falcons were the epitome of control here, and look set to play England in the last 16 next Monday back at Suncorp.

Ireland are away home or on holidays after Thursday’s homecoming down O’Connell Street.

Over the past four years under Pauw, this team has played one way. Drill and repeat. It got them to a World Cup. Some tweaks here and there, but generally the same system.

[ Ireland 0 Nigeria 0: As it happened ]

At this competition they have been forced to change. And still, Australia only beat them via a speculative cross into the box that resulted in Steph Catley nailing a penalty. They had Canada’s number until reinforcements arrived in the shape of Christine Sinclair and Sophie Schmidt.

Two defeats in Sydney and Perth dampened motivation before this final Group B performance in Brisbane. The energy needed to come from within the camp. Instead, Pauw adopted a self-serving attitude by continuing to criticise the FAI for pausing her contract negotiations.

Right up to the eve of this match that remained the narrative. Pauw’s players remained a singular voice, flatly declining to support her desire to get a new two-year deal. Most of the main actors have kept their opinion to themselves.

McCabe has been forced to break ranks.

For the third game, against a cautious Nigeria who only needed a draw to reach the knock-out stages, Ireland were invited to attack. This visibly shocked them as skilled players were turning inside and passing laterally and backwards despite being unmarked.

By half-time in Melbourne, Group B appeared fait accompli as Hayley Raso bagged two goals for the host Australia to all but eliminate Canada. It finished 4-0. The Matildas top the group.

This also allowed the Nigerians to relax. Both teams could have led at the interval but Kyra Carusa lacked the confidence to shoot on sight while McCabe flashed an early effort wide of Chiamaka Nnadozie’s post.

Up the other end, Barcelona sensation Asisat Oshoala spurned a one on one with Brosnan after Louise Quinn’s awful pass out of defence was gratefully received by Kanu. Oshoala outpaced Quinn but her belter curved wide.

Change was forced at this World Cup and it never took hold. O’Sullivan had moved into Lucy Quinn’s role, operating as a right-sided attacking midfielder with Farrelly on the left.

The unfamiliarity showed. Ireland were never in sync. They looked jaded midway through the first half, playing like players who are way above their natural level. Gripped by fear perhaps, the first touches were clunky and reliables like Niamh Fahey and even McCabe were forcing the ball aimlessly.

Ruesha Littlejohn and Lily Agg were particularly disappointing with wayward distribution denying any flow. However, the holding midfielders battled long and hard into the night.

Farrelly and McCabe did combine down left to win a few set piece opportunities, but they came to nothing.

The crowd was noisy and encouraging but the 24,884 attendance was lost in the 52,500 Suncorp capacity.

Ireland at least stopped the rot around conceding goals before and after half-time, but Brosnan was needed to turn Kanu’s header around the posts after a brilliant cross by Toni Payne.

Seconds later, Oshoala flashed another shot wide. Brosnan was busier than usual, but her form was solid from angled crosses, proving herself the best Kerry footballer on view in the past few days.

She has had a fine tournament.

Same goes for McCabe. The captain abandoned her defensive duties around the hour mark, staying wide left and screaming for possession.

The endeavour was evident throughout but Ireland were stuck in Nigerian pockets, the sight of a goal chance slammed shut with a masterclass in controlled football.

McCabe’s second yellow card at her first World Cup was an act of pure frustration. She body-checked Payne moments after Nigerian manager Randy Waldrum replaced star turns Kanu and Oshoala with 23 minutes remaining. Both on ice for England.

At this moment McCabe turned to Pauw and told the Dutch coach to makes some changes. It was another 13 minutes before Marissa Sheva and Abbie Larkin replaced Agg and the largely ineffective Heather Payne, who had been injured.

A draw then, one goal from three matches, three conceded in two defeats, a mountain of off-field controversy, silence from the FAI chief executive and injuries at the wrong moment.

At least the future remains bright.

IRELAND: Brosnan; Payne (Sheva, 83), Fahey (Caldwell, 90), Louise Quinn, Connolly, McCabe; Agg (Larkin, 83), Littlejohn; O’Sullivan, Farrelly; Carusa.

NIGERIA: Nnadozie; Alozie, Ohale, Demehin (Ordega, 84), Plumptre; Ucheibe, Ayinde; Ajibade, Payne, Kanu (Onumonu, 67); Oshoala (Monday, 67).

Referee: Katia Garcia (Mexico).