Irish women’s team end campaign with defeat to Portugal

Republic of Ireland 0 Portugal 1

A second-half Portugal penalty condemned the Republic of Ireland to defeat in their concluding European Championship qualifier on Tuesday night at Tallaght Stadium.

The Portuguese sealed second spot in the group and a play-off berth courtesy of Claudio Neta's goal 12 minutes from the end when she followed up to head home after Emma Byrne had kept out the captain's penalty.

Ireland, who finish fourth in the pool, had started brightly by creating the best chance of the half as Aine O’Gorman’s header struck the crossbar but the class of the Portuguese, especially Neta, began to tell in the second half.

The Swedish-based midfielder bagged all three goals in last week’s 3-2 victory over second-placed rivals Finland and she was a menace throughout for Sue Ronan’s side.

Neta had given Ireland a couple of scares by drilling wide twice before the penalty arrived when Jetta Berrill was adjudged to have tripped Chelsea's Ana Borges in the box.

Although Arsenal stopper Byrne guessed the right way on her 129th cap to keep the spot-kick out, she couldn’t prevent the playmaker pouncing on the rebound to bundle the ball over the line.

REP OF IRELAND: E Byrne (Arsenal); J Berrill (UCD Waves), N Fahey (Chelsea Ladies), L Quinn (Eskilstuna United DFF), S Perry (Reading WFC); K Duggan (UCD Waves), D Caldwell (SC Sand); JA Russell (UCD Waves), R Littlejohn (Glasgow Celtic), K McCabe (Arsenal Ladies); A O'Gorman (UCD Waves).

Subs: C Shine (Glasgow City) for Russell (65 mins), R McLaughlin (Peamount Utd) for Duggan (83 mins), F O’Sullivan (California Storm) for Littlejohn (88 mins).

PORTUGAL: P Morais; M Fidalgo, S Marisa, S Rebelo, A Borges; A Da Costa (T Pinto 65), D Silva, S Pires (F Pinto 83); A Leite (D Silva 90 mins), C Neto, V Marques.

Referee: Esther Azzopardi (MLT)