Polly O'Callaghan

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

Ireland finished the Nations League phase as the highest ranking side to finish third in League A

That puts Carla Ward's charges 9th overall in Europe. One place above women's footballing powerhouses, & third placed side at the past two World Cups, Sweden 🇸🇪

𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞.

#COYGIG

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

🗞️ Mustaki also spoke on:

- A back three or a back four? 3️⃣⚔️4️⃣
- Mustaki's strengths complimenting Katie McCabe's🧢
- French side that are 'different gravy' 🇫🇷
- 'Massive 12 months' injury free 🤕 ❌
- The value of playing consistently ⚽

#COYGIG

[The Halfway Line @TheHalfway_Line]

𝐂𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 '𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭' 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐩

🗣️Mustaki was speaking in Grenoble after Ireland were narrowly beaten by France.

#COYGIG
https://t.co/qgY4cKV8OT

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

"...I enjoy both formations but I think playing on the left of a back three has really allowed me to make the most of my strengths. So we'll see what the next season brings and what the next 12 months brings.”
#COYGIG ☘️

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

"...and to be that skilful player as well that she is and that maybe she doesn't get to express as much when she's in the WSL. So we complement each other really well in that sense but it's hard to tell..." 🧵3/4

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

"...I've really developed into a left sided centre back and ideally left of a three because it allows me to play that hybrid role. I think that's why it suits particularly in this team because it allows Katie [McCabe] to get higher..." 🧵2/4

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

Asked 𝐂𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢 how playing in a back three has effected her excellent form this term, and if she prefers it to a back four, "It's a great question. I think 12 months ago I would have seen myself as more of a full back but..." 🧵1/3
#COYGIG📸 @sportsfilesteve

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

🗞️ Carla Ward also spoke on,

- Meeting in London with Katie McCabe last summer seen as turning point in Irish form ⬆️
- 'Carla in possession, Ireland out of possession' ☘️
- Malard 'magic' 🪄
- 'Outstanding' Anna Patten & Caitlin Hayes 🪨🪨

#COYGIG

[The Halfway Line @TheHalfway_Line]

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐝 '𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲'

🗣️Ward was speaking after Ireland fell to defeat to France in Grenoble.

#COYGIG
https://t.co/v9qwqGa3lQ

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

Seeded Path (Ireland)
Average FIFA ranking of opponent in R1: 69th
Average FIFA ranking of opponent in R2: (Assuming top seeds win): 30th

Unseeded Path
Average FIFA ranking of opponent in R1: 45th
Average FIFA ranking of opponent in R2: (Assuming top seeds win) 13th
#COYGIG🧵2/4

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

Very short thread on why it was 𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 for the 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐩 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐬.

#COYGIG ☘️ 🧵1/4 📸 @sportsfilesteve

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

Seeded path, possible opponents
R1:
Highest ranked - Hungary 45th
Lowest ranked - Kazakhstan 100th

Unseeded path, possible opponents
R1:
Highest ranked - Belgium 18th
Lowest ranked - Israel 67th

🧵3/4

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

Seeded path, possible opponents (If top seeds win)
R2:
Highest ranked - Portugal 21st
Lowest ranked - Slovenia 38th

Unseeded path, possible opponents (If top seeds win)
R2:
Highest ranked - England 4th
Lowest ranked - Austria 23rd

🧵4/4

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

🗞️O'Sullivan also spoke on:

- How Carla Ward 'instils belief' in Ireland 🗣️
- Praise for 'excellent' French 🇫🇷
- Missed big chances 🥅
- Subs 'massive impact' 💥
- Play offs aren't a 'free hit' 🎯
- A play off second leg in Cork... 🏟️🔴⚪

#COYGIG ☘️

[The Halfway Line @TheHalfway_Line]

𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐎'𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 '𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭' 𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐈𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 '𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡'

🗣️O'Sullivan was speaking after Ireland fell to defeat in Grenoble but advanced to the play offs.

#COYGIG
https://t.co/CG4xLVaBz3

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

Asked 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐎’𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐧 yesterday evening about Ireland’s progress under Carla Ward,

“Yeah, it's great. I think the time under Carla has been fantastic. I think the team has really improved under her…” 🧵 1/2

#COYGIG ☘️ 📸 @sportsfilesteve

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

“… I think the biggest thing under Carla is she just instils this belief and confidence in the team. I think the team has improved game by game. To be 21st in the world right now is absolutely amazing, but we want to keep striving to get higher and higher.” 🧵 2/2

[Marie Crowe @mariecrowe]

Great info ⬇️

[Tom Maher @TOMMAHERSY]

Venezuela 🇻🇪 & Ecuador 🇪🇨 make the play offs!

Venezuela head to the Inter-Continental POs for the first time. No senior Venezuela side has ever qualified for a World Cup

Paraguay miss out, despite qualifying top scorer Claudia Martínez, 4-3 defeat to Colombia ended their hopes.

[The Halfway Line @TheHalfway_Line]

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐝: '𝐈𝐟 𝐈'𝐦 𝐚 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝'

🗣️Ward was speaking after France squeezed past Ireland in Grenoble and secured a place at the World Cup.

#COYGIG
https://t.co/tgoonwfdE5