When is it on?
Ireland are playing Georgia on Friday at Mikheil Meskhi II Stadium at 5pm Irish time (8pm local time) in the first leg of their European Championship playoff semi-final. The second leg will take place next Tuesday, in Tallaght at 7.30pm.
How can I watch it?
The game is live on RTÉ 2, with coverage starting at 4.30pm. it is also available on the RTÉ Player. The return leg is also on RTÉ2.
What is at stake?
A place in Euro 2025 in Switzerland, which would be a first time for the Ireland women’s team in their history. Should they beat Georgia, they would face the winners of Slovakia or Wales in a playoff final, which will be played between November 22nd and December 3rd, to secure a place in the tournament.
What is the team news for the game?
Louise Quinn (hip) and Megan Connolly (hamstring) will miss the games through injury and will not be replaced in the squad. Goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan is suspended for the game in Georgia. Former Wexford Youths attacker Ellen Molloy has been passed fit despite limping out of Sheffield United’s game against Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.
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Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (London City Lionesses), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic), Katie Keane (Athlone Town).
Defenders: Jessie Stapleton (Sunderland, on loan from West Ham United), Diane Caldwell (FC Zurich), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Caitlin Hayes (Celtic), Anna Patten (Aston Villa).
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Lily Agg (Birmingham City), Ellen Molloy (Sheffield United), Heather Payne (Everton), Izzy Atkinson (Crystal Palace), Eva Mangan (Cork City).
Forwards: Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Amber Barrett (Standard Liege), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Julie-Ann Russell (Galway United), Marissa Sheva (Portland Thorns).
What are Ireland’s chances?
Very good, anything other than victory would be disappointing against Georgia. After all, the last time they played in the country they beat the Georgians 9-0 in qualifying for the 2023 World Cup.
There have been some signs of improvement since then but Georgia got through to the playoffs through League C of the Nations League, two tiers below Ireland.
Ireland finished bottom of their Nations League A group, but it was an incredibly difficult one against England, Sweden and France, and they managed to beat France at home in their final game.
When Ireland were in the lower level of League B, still higher than Georgia, they won six out of six games with plus 18 goal difference, so the gap between the teams should be large.
Georgia have mostly domestic-based players and none in the top leagues of Europe or the US, whereas Ireland have stars like Katie McCabe at Arsenal and Denise O’Sullivan with North Carolina Courage. Ireland will hope to win comfortably in Tbilisi to take pressure off the second leg, with eyes on a potential playoff final against the more talented Wales for a Euro 2025 spot.
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