Kate expectations
REPUBLIC STARS BACKING MCCABE’S TILT AT GLORY
KATIE MCCABE will have a special supporters’ group cheering her on in Lisbon as the Arsenal star fights to become the fourth Irish woman to win the Champions League.
Mccabe will be watched in person by a large number of her Ireland team-mates before they travel to Turkey for the first game in a crucial Nations League double-header.
The Gunners face Barcelona on Saturday and Ireland’s captain will be given a few days off before joining the squad in Istanbul for the international on Friday week.
Carla Ward’s charges also face Slovenia at Páirc Uí Chaoimh four days later as Ireland chase
Nations League promotion.
“There’s a flight out of Lisbon to Turkey, they’ll arrive at the same time as everybody else does on Sunday,” said Ward. “There’s a large group of players going to watch.
“I think Katie will be returning maybe two or three days late.
Let’s hope that they do the job and she comes in with a nice medal which will hopefully put her in a good position to then help us with these two games.
“No matter what, it’s an unbelievable achievement to get to where they’ve got to. We wish her well.”
Heather Payne and Leanne
Kiernan have been ruled out of the double-header, while Lily Agg, Jess Ziu, Jamie Finn and Tara O’hanlon are long-term absentees.
Ward (inset) sees newcomer Erin Healy, 24, as the perfect replacement for Liverpool’s Kiernan.
Healy scored eight goals for Adelaide in her debut A-league season and the San Diego native qualifies for Ireland through her Monaghan-born grandfather.
“She has been tracked for some time by the FAI and somebody who has had an exciting season,” said Ward of a striker who is being watched by several English clubs. “She is soon to be European-based this summer and that will help, for sure.”
Long-time servant Louise Quinn is retiring at the end of the season and has been selected in a squad of 24.
Ward wants Quinn to help develop leaders in a squad that has lost plenty of experience of late and, potentially, there could be a coaching role down the line.
For now, however, the 34-year-old must earn the right for a playing farewell in green.
“She’s made it very, very clear that she’s fit, she’s firing,” Ward said.
“I’ve had her Birmingham manager on to me, telling me the same thing.”