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McCabe fires brace as Ireland grind down plucky Georgia

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McCabe fires brace as Ireland grind down plucky Georgia

The Republic of Ireland had to be patient in Tbilisi, but their superior quality and fitness ultimately told as they planted one foot in the Euro 2025 play-off final with a comprehensive defeat of Georgia.

Eileen Gleeson’s charges travelled as overwhelming favourites to swat the minnows aside in their quest to make a first European Championships.

However this proved to be harder evening’s work than the scoreline suggests.

Only a Katie McCabe penalty separated them at half-time, with Kyra Carusa, a fine McCabe long-range effort, first senior goals for Jessie Stapleton and Marissa Sheva and Aoife Mannion’s header adding a good coat of gloss to proceedings.

The tie is done and dusted ahead of the second leg at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday, but Gleeson will still want a strong performance ahead of a November meeting with either Wales or Slovakia in the final, when the stakes – and opposition – will be on a different level.

Three months from their last outing – an excellent win against France – Gleeson made five changes to her starting line-up. Heather Payne was left on the bench as Abbie Larkin got the nod at right wing-back, while Julie-Ann Russell and Carusa were paired up top for the first time and Grace Moloney replaced the suspended Courtney Brosnan in goal.

The Girls in Green came to Georgia two years ago and won 9-0, but they faced a much-improved side this evening, one that railed against their ranking of 118th in the world.

Israeli coach Iris Antman set her team up to sit in a deep, dense block on a tight pitch and challenged Ireland to play through the congestion.

They did offer early evidence of their ability to do just that when Mannion threaded a smart ball through for Larkin, who teed up Denise O’Sullivan to whip in a dipping 25-yard effort inches past the post.

Ireland looked determined to set, and maintain, a high tempo in those opening minutes.

Larkin steered a half-volley wide after a McCabe corner caused confusion; home keeper Tatia Gabunia acrobatically clawed away a Russell cross; then O’Sullivan slammed a shot into a crowd of committed defenders.

It was one-way traffic, but Georgia weathered the early storm and began to counter-punch with the sprightly Maiko Bebia leading occasional breakaways.

The weight of favouritism seemed to weigh heavy on Irish shoulders as the half progressed and the breakthrough failed to arrive. Having won 9-0 on their last visit to Georgia, perhaps they sensed there was an expectation in some quarters they’d repeat that scoreline here.

But this is a much better-organised Georgia team, and they made Ireland work hard for their opportunities.

Kyra Carusa backheeled home Ireland’s second goal

Passes were sometimes rushed, decision-making sporadic and hasty.

Russell flashed in a header from a Larkin cross on the half-hour mark that Gabunia tipped over the bar, and the lively Larkin almost heeled home a lovely volley after clever build-up play involving Russell and McCabe down the left.

Ireland were starting to toil as they tried to peel open cracks in a stubbornly compact Georgian unit.

But in the 34th minute, they were gifted an opening when Larkin’s cross cannoned off the recklessly flailing left arm of Natia Danelia. Penalty kick. McCabe stepped up to slot it home, and finally Ireland were up and running.

Patten went close with a header that Gabunia scooped up at the second attempt, but there was just one in it at the break.

Ireland pinned back their hosts once they re-emerged for the second period and slowly but surely Georgian limbs started to tire. Carusa connected with McCabe’s free-kick to force in a looping effort that kissed the top of Gabunia’s crossbar; though the California-born striker wouldn’t have to wait long to get her goal.

It arrived on 59 minutes. Aoife Mannion started a slick move that climaxed with O’Sullivan feeding Larkin on the right, and Carusa backheeling the Ringsend winger’s low cross through Gabunia’s legs.

Eight minutes later, Mcabe made it three with a brilliantly opportunisitic effort. There was nothing on when she picked the ball up nearly 40 yards out, but the skipper caught Gabunia napping as she pinged a sweet strike over the advanced keeper’s head.

McCabe hooked a volley over the bar on the swivel as she hunted a hat-trick.

It was scrappy and disjointed, though Ireland continued to press and in the 82nd miniute they were rewarded with another, as substitute Stapleton forced home a bouncing ball with her midriff when Georgia failed to deal with an inswinging McCabe corner.

Sheva bent home an excellent fifth deep into stoppage-time, and Mannion had the final say when she headed in a sixth just before the whistle.

Ultimately it was job done with plenty more in the tank. On now to Tuesday, before preparations ramp up for the serious business in winter.

Georgia: Tatia Gabunia; Salome Gasviani, Mariam Kalandadze, Nino Chkhartishvili, Sopiko Narsia; Nino Pasikashvili, Natia Danelia, Maiko Bebia; Gvantsa Kadagishvili, Irina Khaburdzania (Tinatin Ambalia 76), Ana Cheminava (capt)

Republic of Ireland: Grace Moloney; Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes, Aoife Mannion; Abbie Larkin, Lily Agg (Marissa Sheva 56), Tyler Toland (Jessie Stapleton 75), Katie McCabe (capt); Denise O’Sullivan; Julie Ann Russell (Izzy Atkinson 90), Kyra Carusa (Leanne Kiernan 75)

Referee: Emanuela Rusta (Albania)

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