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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Mark McCadden

Republic of Ireland 11-0 Georgia: Record breaking Ireland climb to second in group

Ireland's record breakers are exactly where they want to be at the halfway mark in this World Cup qualifying campaign.

Second place, ahead of second seeds Finland - and with a win last night that sends a resounding message to the rest of Group A.

Last night they beat their previous biggest wins - 9-0 against Montenegro in 2016 and Malta in 2003 - to round off 2021 in sensational style.

Opponents Georgia are clearly well off the pace at senior international level - but don’t let that take away from last night’s performance.

How often have Ireland played minnows - in both the men’s and women’s game - and failed to reflect their dominance on the scoreboard?

But when Georgia winger Maiko Bebia turned a McCabe cross into her own net after just four minutes, there was no danger that this would be another frustrating night for the Irish.

The brilliant McCabe was involved in the majority of attacks, while Ruesha Littlejohn and Megan Connolly kept it simple yet devastatingly effective in midfield.

They ensured that Ireland remained on the front-foot with a constant feed of passes either to McCabe on the left or Jessica Ziu on the right.

Shelbourne ace Ziu linked up well with Lucy Quinn, while Ziu took every opportunity going to run at a shell-shocked Georgian defence.

This was a game the Girls in Green were expected to win in relative comfort, after the frustration of their 1-1 draw against Slovakia five nights earlier.

With bottom seeds Georgia conceding three to Finland and four against Sweden, however, few expected the outcome to be as emphatic as the 11 goals scored last night.

But Ireland got off to the perfect start, scoring just four minutes in and denying their visitors the opportunity to put up the barricades.

Connolly swept the ball wide left to McCabe, whose centre was steered past her own goalkeeper by Bebia, under pressure from Lucy Quinn.

The chances came thick and fast after that. Goalkeeper Teona Sukhashvili made an unconventional stop with her feet when McCabe drilled in a low 20-yarder.

Much better was her save to keep out Lucy Quinn’s drive from a similar distance, while she had to be alert to prevent another own goal on 18 minutes.

McCabe’s cross was almost turned into her own net by Tamari Tatuashvili.

Ireland doubled their lead on 21 minutes when Louise Quinn met McCabe’s corner at the back post and helped it onto Carusa, who headed it home with her back to goal.

Carusa, Littlejohn and McCabe all tried to add to the tally before Lucy Quinn made it three on 37 minutes, when she swept home McCabe’s low cross at the back post.

The chances kept on coming, with Connolly’s free-kick just clearing the bar and Carusa’s angled shot blocked after great play from Ziu, McCabe and O’Sullivan.

Connolly headed a McCabe corner narrowly over as half-time approached, but there was still time for one more first-half opportunity.

Littlejohn went on a mazy run out left, beating two defenders and crossing low for O’Sullivan to stab home her first of the night from eight yards.

The half-time break did little to stunt Ireland’s attacking ambitions. If anything, they went forward with even greater intensity.

McCabe and O’Sullivan were both denied by fine Sukhashvili saves within moments of each other, while Connolly was off-target from 20 yards.

O’Sullivan made it five on 58 minutes with a wonderful chipped finish from the edge of the Georgian area, while goal number six came four minutes later.

Cork star O’Sullivan completed her hat-trick when she met McCabe’s cross with a powerful header to squeeze the ball between Sukhashvili and the right-hand post.

Between those two goals, McCabe was denied a clear penalty when she was brought down by Mariam Kalandadze.

But the Gunners ace finally got the goal her performance deserved when a second penalty appeal was successful - this time for handball against Bebia.

Having opened the floodgates with her early own goal, Bebia’s misery was complete when she was red carded by referee Jurgita Madikunyte.

Up stepped McCabe to confidently score from the spot - and three minutes later she bagged her second with a fierce 20-yard strike to make it eight.

Ireland equalled the previous record scoreline of 9-0 on 82 minutes when Connolly’s header was blocked on the goalline, and substitute Saoirse Noonan drilled home the rebound from four yards.

It was left to fellow sub Barrett to score the record-breaking goal when she raced onto a through-ball and composed herself, before firing past Sukhashvili from a tight angle.

Connolly rounded off the scoring in injury-time when her left-wing free kick curled over the heads of everyone and floated inside the far post.

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