The Republic of Ireland Women’s team recommenced their efforts to qualify for Euro 2025 with a first round 6-0 play-off today against Georgia in Tbilisi. The visitors scored five of their goals in the second half. The second leg is in Tallaght Stadium on next Tuesday, Oct. 29.
The Girls in Green can reasonably expect now to get to a second-round playoff against Slovakia or Wales, the winners of which will qualify for Euro 2025 in Switzerland next summer.
SHELS WIN CUP
Women’s FAI Cup final Shelbourne were much too strong for Athlone Town at a windy Tallaght Stadium on Sunday, winning 6-1. The Reds playing with Storm Ashley at their backs, lead 6-1 at half-time and that’s the way it stayed as Athlone’ hopes of a League-Cup double were blown away.
ROCHE CALLS IT QUITS
Former Irish Women’s international Stephanie Roche has retired. The 35-year-old scored in her last League game for Rovers against old Dublin rivals Shelbourne at Tallaght Stadium. The striker won 58 Irish caps and was runner up in the 2014 FIFA Puskas Goal of the Year award after her brilliant goal for Peamount against Wexford FC. Fans will remember that at the awards ceremony in Zurich Roche got admiring glances from both Messi and Ronaldo, who were sitting in the front row.
Stephanie Roche pictured during a promotional shoot in 2022. [Inpho/Dan Sheridan]
MCGEADY RETIRES AT 38
Former Celtic and Republic of Ireland winger Aiden McGeady has retired from playing, more than 20 years after his senior debut. Born in Rutherglen in 1986, McGeady qualified for Ireland thanks to his Donegal-born grandparents and won 93 Irish caps. He began his career at Celtic featuring 231 times for The Bhoys, scoring 36 goals. After winning four leagues and three domestic cups, McGeady left Celtic Park for Spartak Moscow in 2010 for £9.5m, which made him the most expensive export from Scottish football at the time and also the first Irish player to play in Russia. Later he had spells with Everton, Sheffield Wednesday and Preston before a switch to Sunderland in the summer of 2017. In 2022 McGeady joined Hibernian, reuniting with former Sunderland manager Lee Johnson, but managed just 14 appearances for the Edinburgh side as injuries curtailed his involvement. He moved to Ayr United in July last year and terminated his player-coach contract on Oct. 1 having last been on the pitch in April.
DUFF UPBEAT
Shelbourne manager Damien Duff reckons that the international break came just at the right time for his team, as they returned to action with a 3-1 win over Waterford at Tolka Park on Friday night, a win that sees the Reds stay two points clear of Derry City at the top of the table. On a night when the four clubs occupying the first four places in the table all won, Duff said: ‘‘I think the break came at a good time. I never like international breaks, but certainly this one I grasped with both hands. I think it was a good time just to take a step back and reset and the lads did that. Granted before the break, points wise not great, but our form was good and I was happy with it.’’
There are two series of games to played, but at this stage it’s looking good for Shelbourne. If Shels can win at home to Drogheda on Friday night they would only need a draw against Derry at the Brandywell on Nov. 1 to clinch the title, irrespective how Derry fare against St Pat’s on Friday next.
