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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Paul Lennon

Ireland captain Katie McCabe warns against 'distraction' of moving Finland game to Aviva stadium

Katie McCabe believes that switching Ireland's women's crunch September World Cup qualifier against Finland to The Aviva could prove a "distraction".

But the Girls In Green skipper envisages a scenario that would see Vera Pauw's side using the 50,000 capacity national stadium as their base on a permanent or occasional basis.

Last week's 1-1 qualifying draw away to Sweden leaves Ireland well placed to claim a play-off spot with remaining group games away to Georgia on June 27 and Slovakia on September 6.

The public's rapidly growing interest in the women's team and their steady improvement prompted suggestions that the September 1 visit of the Finns - Ireland's chief rivals for the play-off ticket - would provide the ideal opportunity to move from Tallaght Stadium to Dublin 4.

"We don’t need any distractions going on, the stakes are high in these last three games, obviously two of them are away," explained McCabe who has been unveiled as a Cadbury brand ambassador.

"For me it’s all about that timing of when a women’s national team game will be held at the Aviva.

"Honestly, I don’t think Finland is the right time for me.

“I love playing at the Aviva, I think it’s a special occasion. I’ve played there with Raheny and Shelbourne in various cup finals.

"But for us, as a women’s national team, our home is Tallaght Stadium.

"Until we start to sell out Tallaght Stadium, I don’t think we can quite look at The Aviva just yet, especially when it’s a World Cup qualifier and the stakes are high.

“We’re used to Tallaght. We love the crowd we get in Tallaght, especially the closeness of the crowd as well.

"I think it captures the sound, with the fans roaring if we score and pushing us on to literally the last second of every game.

“In my opinion, if you were looking at a game in the Aviva, maybe a once-off game against England or the USA, it could be a lot more tasty.

"Would I love to see future games there - maybe at the start of a new campaign? Absolutely.

"I'd rather play at a packed out Tallaght Stadium than maybe one or two stands full in The Aviva.

"But that's my personal opinion. I've not discussed that with the team because it's all hearsay right now."

While Ireland's exceptional performance and result in Gothenburg was rightly hailed as a high water mark for the senior international side, Northern Ireland's qualifying campaign ground to an end with the 5-0 Windsor Park defeat to England.

Manager Kenny Shiels' post-match comments - suggesting that women's emotional response to conceding goals was at the root of leaking others soon after - triggered an angry response from most quarters.

Shiels apologised the following day for his words and team captain Marissa Callaghan backed the ex-Derry City boss.

"Look, he’s regretted straight away the comment he made. It was powerful for the team to come out and back him.

"Only he knows the context in which he meant but I wasn’t impressed by it. In this day and age, you need to choose your words wisely.

"When emotions are running high after being beaten 5-0 by your rivals that you’ll be coming up against at the Euros, it’s one for them to learn from.

"If the captain speaks out, the players back him and they're comfortable with that, then you’ve got to respect that and try to move on from it."

Cadbury have unveiled Republic of Ireland Women’s National Team captain, Katie McCabe, as a brand ambassador to launch a new campaign dedicated to supporting Irish women’s grassroots football, ‘Become a Supporter and a Half’.

Buy a Cadbury Dairy Milk exclusively in participating Spar stores nationwide until 5th May 2022 and Cadbury will donate up to €50,000 to grassroots women’s football supporting clubs to make upgrades to facilities where they’re needed most.

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