The squad includes the 17 players on duty for the opening defeat last month to Finland plus Reading goalkeeper Grace Moloney who was also part of the extended squad for that game. Shelbourne winger Siobhan Killeen and UCD midfielder Ciara Grant are unavailable for the game due to college commitments so they’ve been replaced by Wexford Youths duo Carol Breen and Claire O’Riordan.
UCD Waves midfielder Dora Gorman, who had to pull out of the original Finland squad, is set to miss the rest of the 2015-16 season with an ACL injury.
The squad will fly to Portugal on Friday and commence preparations at their base in Guimaraes which is close to the match venue in Moreira de Cónegos. The game will kick off at 3pm Irish time.
Announcing the squad, Sue Ronan said: “While it was very disappointing to lose our opening game to Finland last month I thought we played well and things could have been a lot different if we had taken our chances. We travel to Portugal knowing we need to get points on the board but it is not going to be easy as they are the best of the fourth seeds and have been improving in recent years.”
Ronan added that she hopes the success enjoyed at club level in recent weeks by some of her players will have a positive effect on her squad.
“Some of the girls will be really buzzing when they come in. Niamh Fahey has just won the English League and Cup double in her first season at Chelsea while Denise O’Sullivan and Clare Shine have won the Scottish League title with Glasgow City and Louise Quinn has qualified for the Champions League after Eskilstuna finished runners-up in the Swedish League. They’ve all had excellent seasons and I hope that will rub off on everybody else.”
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Ireland’s next EURO 2017 qualifier, at home to Spain on November 26, will kick-off at 2pm in Tallaght Stadium and will be shown live on Setanta Ireland.
Republic of Ireland Squad (v Portugal)
Goalkeepers: Emma Byrne (Arsenal), Grace Moloney (Reading), Niamh Reid Burke (Shelbourne).
Defenders: Megan Campbell (Florida State University); Meabh De Burca (Galway), Karen Duggan (UCD Waves), Niamh Fahey (Chelsea), Louise Quinn (Eskilstuna); Sophie Perry (Brighton & Hove Albion).
Midfielders: Diane Caldwell (Avaldsness), Ruesha Littlejohn (Celtic), Grace Murray (Newry City), Denise O’Sullivan (Glasgow City), Julie-Ann Russell (UCD Waves).
Forwards: Carol Breen (Wexford Youths), Katie McCabe (Shelbourne), Aine O’Gorman (UCD Waves), Claire O’Riordan (Wexford Youths), Stephanie Roche (Sunderland), Clare Shine (Glasgow City).