France 1 Ireland 0: Euro 2025 qualifier as it happened

Here is Mary Hannigan’s match report from Metz. That’s all from me for tonight. Good night!

[ Gutsy display by Ireland but France too strong in Euro 2025 qualifier ]

Eileen Gleeson: “We put in a shift and a half, we knew we would have to. Courtney was excellent in goal, the entire defence was strong. We knew we would be without the ball a lot and under pressure and we were, we improved second half. We have quality, the girls gave an excellent performance.”

Spirited display by Ireland despite the loss. France played well there and showed their obvious quality but Gleeson will be encouraged that they stuck with them. And oh if Kiernan had played through McCabe near the end of the game, it could have been a famous result in Metz. Next up is England at the Aviva on Tuesday.

Mary Hannigan’s match report to come.

93 mins: Campbell with another long one but Renard with a strong header out, that’s what she’s there for. A late attack for France on the counter, Bacho shoots well but Brosnan saves and palms it well away. Good goalkeeping.

FULL-TIME: France 1 Ireland 0

90 mins: Courtney Brosnan is named player of the match. One last sub, Stapleton for Mannion. Lucy Quinn has a good crossing opportunity but hits it out of play, shame.

France 1 Ireland 0

87 mins: Good long throw again by Campbell and Hayes wins the header but straight at the keeper.

Oh dear! That was the chance for Ireland. Bad clearance by the goalkeeper and it falls to Kiernan, McCabe would have been through on her own in the box if she saw her. But she blazed it wide.

France 1 Ireland 0

84 mins: An attendance of just under 17,000 for the game in Metz. Just 10 minutes or so left to get an equaliser as Campbell works hard down the left wing and wins a free-kick.

France 1 Ireland 0

81 mins: Long throw time for Campbell, launches it but France deal with it. From the counter, Mannion fouls Diani who was always gonna beat her for pace.

France 1 Ireland 0

78 mins: Hayes has had a good game defensively and she denies Le Sommer again. On comes Wendie Renard to a great reception, as does Amandine Henry for her 100th cap. Experienced heads.

France 1 Ireland 0

75 mins: Oh dear, Barrett has to come back off after just coming on. Lucy Quinn comes on. Only nine minutes of action for the Donegal woman.

France 1 Ireland 0

72 mins: Brosnan has to make another big save as Diani is too fast for Campbell and Brosnan tips away from the post. Counter from the corner though, Ireland had 3 v 3, but Karchaoui is too strong and fast for Barrett. Barrett then goes down injured.

France 1 Ireland 0

69 mins: Again Le Sommer nearly scores, but blocked by Hayes. Ireland win a foul around the halfway line and McCabe plays it in but cleared away.

France 1 Ireland 0

66 mins: Le Sommer nearly with an instant impact! Diani cross and a thundering header from Le Sommer crashes against the crossbar. An example of her threat already.

France 1 Ireland 0

64 mins: After an injury Payne is off for Ireland, on is Leanne Kiernan, an attacking sub that one. Amber Barrett too, going for goals.

France 1 Ireland 0

61 mins: Goal for Rolfo for Sweden, their Barcelona star, against England, that game is 1-1 now in the group. Tormenters of Ireland, Cascarino and Katoto are off but bad news is 93-goal Le Sommer is on in her place.

France 1 Ireland 0

56 mins: Yellow card for O’Sullivan after a foul on the edge of the box. Dangerous spot. Good ball in but seems like Mannion headed it over. The referee gives goal kick though.

France 1 Ireland 0

52 mins: France misplacing a few passes this half, but Ireland still giving away the ball all the time. Cross from Dali is headed by Diani but saved comfortably by Brosnan.

France 1 Ireland 0

47 mins: Sub for Ireland, Megan Campbell is on, her long throws with hopefully be a threat.

France 1 Ireland 0

45+2 mins: One more dangerous free-kick to deal with for Ireland after Cascarino was fouled. Dali hits it straight at Brosnan though, tame effort. Ireland finally get into a good position out of nothing just at the end of the half, but unfortunately O’Sullivan’s final pass is overhit to Brosnan.

HALF-TIME: France 1 Ireland 0

Ireland have been outplayed really but the score is only 1-0, which they will be satisfied with. Been mostly attack versus defence. France have been purring with their attacking and interplay, but despite this Ireland are still well in the game.

44 mins: Geyoro fluffs her lines in the box after Katoto ran at the Irish defence and had a great cutback. Let-off for Ireland.

France 1 Ireland 0

41 mins: Shot for Dali from outside the box is well wide. Ireland giving away the ball a lot in possession, but their defensive shape is good against the skilled French.

France 1 Ireland 0

38 mins: Payne has struggled with Cascarino, who glides down that left side a bit like her French male compatriot Kylian Mbappé. But no major chances for France for a while, if they can just get to half-time without conceding, they will be happy.

France 1 Ireland 0

35 mins: Brosnan has to make a smart save after a great shot by Toletti from 30 yards. Was central but a strong shot and had to be dealt with. From the corner, Diani slices it over after it was flicked on.

France 1 Ireland 0

29 mins: Wave after wave of France attacks but Ireland hanging on for now.

France 1 Ireland 0

25 mins: Perfect pass from Karchaoui to Diani creates another chance, a few great blocks from Ireland and eventually Mbock hits it over from distance. Great football by France.

France 1 Ireland 0

22 mins: Diani is a menace so far, wins a corner off McCabe. Dali’s corner is hit low and hard against Mbock, her shot comes off her knee and wide.

France 1 Ireland 0

17 mins: Connolly tries to play Carusa in behind but Mbock is too quick recovering. France counter and Karchaoui with a nice cross, Dali takes a swipe with a volley put hits it over the bar.

France 1 Ireland 0

20 mins: England lead against Sweden 1-0 after a Russo goal in the other game in the group, as Brosnan receives treatment for an injury.

France 1 Ireland 0

14 mins: McCabe with a superb dummy on the wing gives Ireland their best opportunity of the game, completely did Périsset. Lovely stuff. Decent cutback but O’Sullivan’s shot is blocked and doesn’t lead to anything. But better from Ireland.

France 1 Ireland 0

13 mins: Another corner for France as Katoto causes problems. She wins the header from the corner but safely saved by Brosnan.

France 1 Ireland 0

10 mins: Ireland chasing shadows so far as France look impressive. Cascarino again does well down the left, more flashy play from Diani but McCabe manages to stop them and out for a goal kick.

France 1 Ireland 0

6 mins: Goal for France! Diani finds Cascarino, who skins Payne at high pace but Payne just manages to get it out for a corner. Payne then is beaten again and cynically takes down Karchaoui. Lucky to avoid a yellow card there. Great ball in by Dali, is knocked on by Lakrar and an easy goal for star striker Katoto.

France 1 Ireland 0

3 mins: Ireland almost through with a Connolly through ball to Payne but well intercepted. Already see the quality of France with brilliant footwork from Diani, who will be a danger woman today.

France 0 Ireland 0

La Marseillaise shouted out with venom in Metz. Amhrán na bhFiann too by the Irish players. The teams again:

Ireland: Brosnan; Payne, Mannion, Quinn, Patten, McCabe; Connolly, Hayes, O’Sullivan; Murphy, Carusa.

France: Peyraud-Magnin; Perisset, Lakrar, Mbock, Karchaoui; Dali, Toletti, Geyoro; Diani, Katoto, D. Cascarino.

A statement from the FAI before the game:

FAI offers condolences to Colin Healy

The Football Association of Ireland and the Ireland Women’s National Team would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to Assistant Coach Colin Healy and his family following the sad passing of his wife, Kelly. The WNT players and staff know that Colin with us tonight as we start our UEFA EURO 2025 qualifying campaign. The FAI and the WNT would ask to respect Colin’s privacy on this matter as we offer him every support during this difficult period.

Tonight Emily Murphy and Anna Patten make their first starts for Ireland.

Mary Hannigan writes her preview to today’s game. “A measure of the size of that task is that France haven’t lost a competitive game on home soil since the United States got the better of them in Paris in the quarter-finals of the 2019 World Cup.

But Gleeson was in typically upbeat form when she took her squad from their Luxembourg base to the 29,000 capacity stadium on the banks of the river Moselle on Thursday afternoon for their final training session before the game, the first of a daunting campaign that will also see them take on England and Sweden.”

[ Eileen Gleeson’s women aim to shock an expecting Metz crowd ]

Here’s the French team:

Peyraud-Magnin; Perisset, Lakrar, Mbock, Karchaoui; Dali, Toletti, Geyoro; Diani, Katoto, D. Cascarino

The Ireland team is out:

Brosnan; Payne, Mannion, Quinn, Patten, McCabe; Connolly, Hayes, O’Sullivan; Murphy, Carusa.

Imagine that will be some five at the back version with quite a few defensive minded players in the line-up.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Euro 2025 qualifier at the Saint-Symphorien Stadium in Metz. Ireland have truly been given the group of death to end all group of deaths here, against three of the top four teams in the world. First up is away to France, who feature several players from PSG and Lyon, who are in the Champions League quarter-finals. The likes of Kadidiatou Diani, Sakina Karchaoui, Grace Geyoro and Marie-Antoinette Katoto are among the bests in their position in the world, and they haven’t lost at home since 2019. Tough task then for manager Eileen Gleeson but at least Denise O’Sullivan is back, and with Katie McCabe you always have a chance. Kick-off is at 8.10pm.

Ireland’s squad

Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (London City Lionesses), Sophie Whitehouse (Lewes).

Defenders: Jessie Stapleton (Reading – on loan from West Ham United), Diane Caldwell (FC Zurich), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Caitlin Hayes (Celtic), Anna Patten (Aston Villa), Megan Campbell (London City Lionesses).

Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Bristol City), Ruesha Littlejohn (London City Lionesses), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Lily Agg (Birmingham City), Heather Payne (Everton), Jess Ziu (West Ham United), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Izzy Atkinson (Crystal Palace).

Forwards: Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Amber Barrett (Standard Liege), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Emily Murphy (Wake Forest University).