Unveiling Republic of Ireland's World Cup Squad: Exciting Inclusion of Katie McCabe Surprises Fans as Aoife Mannion and Megan Campbell Miss Out
Republic of Ireland Women's World Cup squad announced with Katie McCabe included, while Aoife Mannion, Megan Campbell, Jamie Finn, and Leanne Kiernan miss out The tournament kicks off on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, where Ireland will compete in Group B alongside co-hosts Australia, Nigeria, and Canada
Katie McCabe has been named in the Republic of Ireland's initial World Cup selection, whereas Manchester United defender Aoife Mannion and Megan Campbell have not made the cut.
The Republic of Ireland's national team will be led by Arsenal midfielder McCabe as they make their debut in a major tournament. Their first match is scheduled against co-hosts Australia on July 20.
Vera Pauw has announced her final 23-player squad after the initial 31-player training squad, with a few notable exclusions.
Mannion, who had been working on her recovery from a knee injury sustained towards the end of the season, has successfully bounced back from two ACL injuries during her career.
Mannion returned to Manchester United's training ground in Carrington this week and had posted a picture of an Aer Lingus plane on social media.
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Campbell, who has had fitness issues recently, left the team's training base last weekend. This was due to Pauw stating that she needed to undergo return-to-play protocols after a long break since being released by Liverpool. Leanne Kiernan, Campbell's former teammate at Liverpool, also faced a season-long absence due to an ankle injury sustained on the first day of the campaign. While Kiernan played 45 minutes in Ireland's friendly against Zambia, she is not included in the selection.
Birmingham's Jamie Finn was included in the starting XI that secured victory against Scotland to qualify for the World Cup. However, she has faced unexpected exclusion due to her decline in midfield performance. Alongside Sophie Whitehouse and Harriet Scott, Finn has been designated as a training player.
Among the players selected for the squad, 18-year-old Abbie Larkin from Shamrock Rovers will be joining the team for the tournament. Additionally, Ruesha Littlejohn has been chosen following her departure from Aston Villa at the season's conclusion.
Republic of Ireland squad in full
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan, Grace Moloney, Megan Walsh, Izzy Atkinson.Defenders: Heather Payne, Aine O'Gorman, Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell, Claire O'Riordan, Megan Connolly, Chloe Mustaki, Izzy Atkinson.
Midfielders: Katie McCabe, Denise O'Sullivan, Lily Agg, Ruesha Littlejohn, Ciara Grant, Sinead Farrelly, Lucy Quinn.
What is the World Cup schedule?
The tournament will commence on July 20th and span over two weeks, culminating on August 3rd. During this time, the group stage will unfold, determining the top-performing teams who will advance to the round of 16. The round of 16 is scheduled to take place from August 5th to August 8th.The quarter-finals are set to take place on August 11 and 12 in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane, and Sydney. Auckland will host the first semi-final on August 15, while the second semi-final will be held at the Accor Stadium in Sydney on August 16. The final will also be played at the Accor Stadium on August 20.
A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.
