Ireland 3-0 Montenegro
Five games unbeaten.
The Irish women can do it behind closed doors too.
There was an eerie feel to this Euro 2021 Group I qualifier against Montenegro in Petrovac, with each call and each shriek to be heard, loud and clear. But an atmosphere isn’t a requirement for the Irish women, as they moved another step closer to the promised land of a first major international tournament.
It took Vera Pauw’s side just 12 minutes to restore what is fast becoming natural order in this campaign, a brave Diane Caldwell losing her marker and heading Ireland one up.
McCabe ↩️
Quinn 🧑🚀
Caldwell ⚽As it stands, @FAIreland are top of their Euro 2021 qualifying group 🔥#IRLWNT #CantSeeCantBe pic.twitter.com/Ix5p9AXbAD
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 11, 2020
When in pole position, they’re very hard clawed back but rather than rest on their laurels, the table-toppers pushed on and could have made it two only for Rianna Jarrett’s effort being cleared off the line.
It was only a matter of time before they sealed the deal though, and that moment arrived in spectacular fashion with ten minutes to go when Ireland’s captain Katie McCabe lived up to the hype and delivered something truly special.
When the Tallaght native stepped up for a free-kick almost 35 yards out from goal, even the most optimistic fan would have struggled to have seen the net rippling, but McCabe has been doing the extraordinary for Ireland and for Arsenal in recent times, and she worked the oracle with a rocket here.
It’s no wonder she’s so highly rated, that’s some left peg.
Katie McCabe 🚀🙌 pic.twitter.com/M31QmqAFeF
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 11, 2020
Ireland kept piling on the pressure and Denise O’Sullivan made it a perfect three moments later to complete an impressive week for the Irish women. They now rest on top of Group I with five out of eight played (Germany do have a game in hand,) and if they keep up this momentum, they’ll be heading for uncharted waters.
