Ireland bid to secure Nations League promotion in Albania

Nations League Group B1: Albania v Republic of Ireland, Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër, 5pm Irish time – Live RTÉ 2

Republic of Ireland interim manager Eileen Gleeson appears to be shaping a squad that can compete with the giants of European football.

If Ireland win in Shkodër on Tuesday evening and Hungary fail to beat Northern Ireland in Belfast, promotion to the Nations League ‘A’ will be secured for 2024. With two matches to spare.

This would offer timely assistance to the FAI’s bottom line. The next two years look grim for the men’s senior team as, barring a perfect storm of results elsewhere, a Euro 2024 playoff will not happen. That means no competitive fixtures for 10 long months and that means plenty of empty seats at the Aviva Stadium.

Gleeson’s Ireland can pick up the slack. World champions Spain, European champions England or other heavyweights like Germany, the Netherlands and France are the potential opposition at Lansdowne Road between next April and July.

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The Nations League top tier offers a direct route to the 2025 Euros in Switzerland as finishing first or second in a four-team group would deliver qualification to consecutive major tournaments. It proves that every competitive result has a longer-term impact on Irish football.

Katie McCabe’s hat-trick against Albania last Friday in Tallaght, her second for Ireland in 16 months, might become the lightbulb moment for Gleeson’s management, where assistant coaches Colin Healy, Emma Byrne and Ivi Casagrande have settled into their consultancy roles.

How about permanently moving the Irish superstar to her most effective position, as the second striker behind Kyra Carusa. Or simply encourage the 28-year-old to keep doing what she does best, which is a little bit of everything.

McCabe’s assists for both Carusa goals in the 5-1 defeat of Tuesday night’s hosts offers further clarity about her best position in a green shirt.

“The second [assist] was better,” said McCabe late Friday before hesitating: “Wait, what was the first, I can’t remember?”

The first was special. McCabe pounced on loose ball near her own box, galloped 60 metres down the right, bursting between two Albanians before lifting her head and sliding a pass for the overlapping Carusa, who finished beyond goalkeeper Viona Rexhepi.

“What a ball through from Katie,” said Carusa. “Once she broke, I was literally on my horse and I was like, ‘If I don’t get up this field, I’m not going to get the ball because this girl, she can shoot this too!’”

McCabe: “Actually, the first one was better than the second.”

It’s debatable. The second assist was a pinpoint delivery, whipped from the left sideline for the Californian-born striker to thump a header past Rexhepi.

“The second goal, my God again, Katie McCabe with a cross that was just meant for my head,” said Carusa. “It literally knocked me on to my back afterwards because it was pinged in so much.”

How about building a system where the other nine outfield Irish players set up so McCabe must trust her instincts. This appears to be happening already. By utilising the pace of Izzy Atkinson and Abbie Larkin on the wings, with Denise O’Sullivan thriving in the pockets as Tyler Toland guarantees a brisk tempo in midfield, McCabe can appear where she is needed. Which is a little bit of everywhere.

“Katie is a huge influence in the dressingroom,” said Gleeson. “She is on a level other players aspire to. She demonstrates that on the pitch. She has a great work ethic. She is able to guide the younger players, she is able to support, she is able to challenge so she has all the attributes of a really good leader. The players look up to her. Yeah, she is a really strong leader.”

It helps that the Ireland captain is no longer starting at full back. Common sense appears to have prevailed. And anyway, she cannot take throw-ins after tearing her tricep playing for Arsenal nine days ago.

Also, for the record, McCabe never asked for Sinead Farrelly to be substituted against Nigeria at the World Cup.

“No, we’re cool,” Farrelly confirmed. “It wasn’t a thing. It became a thing from people who didn’t know what they were talking about. We’re fine.”

Case closed.

The New Jersey Gotham midfielder was as subtly effective as ever off the bench against Albania, especially her contributions for Carusa’s second goal and McCabe’s third.

“She’s amazing,” added Farrelly of the skipper. “You love to have her on your team, she’s going to fight for you and she’s obviously an incredible player. I love playing and getting to combine [with her] because I feel we see the game similarly.”

IRELAND (possible): Brosnan (Everton); Hayes (Glasgow Celtic), Quinn (Birmingham City), Campbell (Everton); Larkin (Glasgow City), Connolly (Bristol City), Toland (Blackburn Rovers), O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Atkinson (West Ham United); McCabe (Arsenal), Carusa (San Diego Wave).