The Finns are part of Ireland’s Euro 2017 qualifying group and won 2-0 in Tallaght Stadium last September when the sides last met. They are due to play again in Finland this June. The sides also met three years ago at the Cyprus Cup in another positional play-off which the Finns won 1-0.
Finland were in Group B and, after drawing 2-2 on the opening day with Wales, they lost 3-1 to the Czech Republic and 1-0 to Poland to finish on one point.
Ireland manager Sue Ronan won’t name her team until tomorrow morning when she will assess the freshness and fitness of her squad. Definitely out of the game are Jessica Gleeson (foot), Megan Campbell (foot), Rianna Jarrett (ACL) and Sophie Perry (work commitments). Campbell returned yesterday to Manchester City for further treatment while Perry, a schoolteacher in Brighton, has returned to work.
“Three of the four are defenders so that has limited our options in defence at a time when players are feeling the effects of having had three games in six days. We’ll let the players have a good night’s sleep tonight and we will assess everything in the morning.”
Anybody watching the three Irish games over the past week will wonder how they are playing for seventh and eighth position after dominating possession and creating the majority of the chances in all three games. Ronan admits that they have been a little unlucky to find themselves on the wrong side of the small margins that can decide games.
“We have ended up with one point from three games when we could quite as easily have had nine, we have played that well! The performances have been fantastic and there are a lot of positives to take forward into the qualifiers. However, the bottom line is we haven’t scored goals therefore we haven’t won our games!
“As a result we find ourselves facing a team who are in our Euro 2017 qualifying group in the positional play-off game, which is not ideal, but we want to finish the tournament on a high so we will be going all out for the win,” said Ronan.
Starting XI to face Finland
Emma Byrne (c); Aine O'Gorman, Louise Quinn, Niamh Fahey, Meabh de Burca; Diane Caldwell, Karen Duggan, Denise O'Sullivan; Julie-Ann Russell, Ruesha Littlejohn, Katie McCabe.
Republic of Ireland Women’s National Team Squad
Goalkeepers: Emma Byrne (Arsenal), Niamh Reid-Burke (Shelbourne), Grace Moloney (Reading)
Defenders: Louise Quinn (Eskilstuna United),Niamh Fahey (Chelsea), Savannah McCarthy (Glasgow City), Meabh De Burca (Galway).
Midfielders: Karen Duggan (UCD Waves), Denise O’Sullivan (Glasgow City), Diane Caldwell (Kóln), Ruesha Littlejohn (Glasgow City), Julie-Ann Russell (UCD Waves), Megan Connolly (Florida State University), Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Emma Hansberry (Wexford Youths), Rachel Graham (Shelbourne).
Strikers: Clare Shine (Glasgow City); Aine O’Gorman (UCD Waves), Claire O’Riordan (Wexford Youths).
Cyprus Cup Group A Details
Results
Wednesday, March 2: Republic of Ireland 0 Austria 2, Italy 2 Hungary 0.
Friday, March 4: Republic of Ireland 1 Italy 1, Austria 2 Hungary 1.
Monday, March 7: Republic of Ireland 0 Hungary 1, Italy 0 Austria 0.
Next Fixture
Wednesday, March 9: Positional Play-Off – Republic of Ireland v Finland, Tassos Marko Stadium, Paralimni, 9am (Irish time).