Women's World Cup 2023: Meet the Republic of Ireland's history makers

The Republic of Ireland squad heading to the World Cup

After much deliberation, manager Vera Pauw has selected the 23 players she will bring to Australia for the Republic of Ireland's first-ever World Cup.

There's a mix of experienced heads, household names and players for the future, giving a nice balance to the selection.

Let's take a look at the Irish squad.

Goalkeepers

Everton stopper Courtney Brosnan has established herself as Ireland's number one in recent years and has the most caps out of all of Pauw's goalkeepers. The 27-year-old made her debut in 2020 after choosing the Republic over the USA, where she was born, and has won 21 caps. She pulled off some crucial saves in qualifying, most notably a penalty save to deny Scotland's Caroline Weir in the play-off that secured qualification.

Grace Moloney was a stand-out member of the Republic's Under-17 team who finished second at the Euros in 2010. A stalwart at Reading, where she has been since 2016 and played more than 200 matches, she made her debut in the Cyprus Cup in 2016. The 30-year-old made her competitive debut in the Euro 2022 qualifier against Germany at Tallaght Stadium.

After 10 years as an underage international with England, Megan Walsh made the switch to the Republic of Ireland in 2020 and has won one cap to date - in the Pinatar Cup against Russia last year. Came through the ranks with Aston Villa and Everton, and, along with Irish team-mate Megan Connolly, left Brighton after four seasons with the WSL club.

Defenders

While her cause was no doubt helped by the injury to Aoife Mannion, it's safe to say that Claire O'Riordan is a player who has capitalised on hitting top form at the right time of the season. After a title-winning year with Celtic, she earned a spot in the training squad after intermittent appearances since making her international debut in 2016. She was Ireland's best defender in the recent friendly against Zambia and earned the plaudits of Vera Pauw following that display where she also scored. You knew the ball was going to hit the net the second it left her head, and that set piece threat will surely come in handy in Australia.

Versatile defender Chloe Mustaki is another player to enter the World Cup off the back of a title-winning season as Bristol City won the Championship. The 27-year-old was meant to make her senior Irish debut in 2020, but an ACL injury the day before the game meant she would have to wait two years to make her senior bow. A solid presence in the green jersey and can operate at both left-back and centre-back.

Louise Quinn is one of the first names on Pauw's team sheet and is as reliable a defender as they come. Now at Birmingham City, the 32-year-old started her career with Peamount United before moving to Eskilstuna United in Sweden before stints with Arsenal and Fiorentina. The Wicklow centre-back made her senior debut in 2008 and has amassed an impressive 103 caps. With 15 international goals, she will be a threat from set plays at the World Cup.

Liverpool captain Niamh Fahey is a rock at the heart of the Irish defence and brings a wealth of experience. She moved to Arsenal as a teenager and that was the start of a long career at the top level. The 35-year-old moved to Chelsea after six years with the Gunners, and a stint in Bordeaux was followed by a return to England and Liverpool, who she captained back to the WSL in 2022. She also won an All-Ireland Gaelic Football medal with Galway in 2004, to add to her impressive sporting CV.

Like Quinn, Diane Caldwell is a reliable centre-back who has bene crucial to the Republic's success. Caldwell moved to the USA for her studies before embarking on a career that took her to Iceland, Norway and Germany. She returned to the USA for a season in 2021, with North Carolina Courage, and most recently spent time with Manchester United and Reading. With 95 caps, Caldwell could hit a century of appearances in green on the biggest stage of all if the Republic reach the knockout stages.

Aine O'Gorman has been there and seen it all in a Green jersey. The 34-year-old has won 117 caps, with only Emma Byrne and Olivia O'Toole bettering that tally. A player who started her career as a striker, O'Gorman has operated as a full-back and winger under Pauw, who asked her to reconsider her decision to retire in 2018. A leader on and off the pitch, she had also played a crucial role in the improvement of conditions for Irish players in 2017. She was the home-based player as the Republic beat Scotland in the play-off.

Hard-working forward Heather Payne made her debut against Scotland in 2017 and been deployed in many positions by Pauw. The 23-year-old is still in her college career in the United States, playing with Florida State University. Her sole international goal came against Iceland in a friendly in June 2021 and she has recently been deployed as a right-wing back. You always knew Payne would be on the squad sheet, it was just a matter of what position she would be selected in. Always selfless, every team needs such a player.

It's been some journey for West Ham youngster Izzy Atkinson, who wasn't even named in Pauw's initial training squad but made the final 23 for the World Cup a matter of weeks later. The 21-year-old was drafted into the squad after it was clear Megan Campbell was losing her race to be fit for the tournament, and she put in a promising attacking display from left wing-back against Zambia. She made her senior debut as a 16-year-old in 2018 and, with Campbell's injury, now has a chance to cement her place in the squad.

Midfielders

Captain, leader, legend. Katie McCabe has already secured her place in Irish folklore as she led the Republic to a first major tournament. A key player for Arsenal in the WSL, where she is also a fan favourite and won goal of the season, she will be crucial to the Republic's hopes in Australia. Born in Dublin, the 27-year-old made her debut in 2015 and was handed the armband two years later. McCabe, who has 72 caps, offers versatility and is a key player whether she lines up wide on the left or in central midfield.

Megan Connolly is a versatile midfielder who possess dead ball capabilities. An underage star for Ireland, she helped her country reach the semi-finals of the 2014 Under-19 Euros. Made her senior debut in 2016 and has won 38 caps, scoring four goals. She left Brighton after four years with the WSL club. She can also operate in defence and is another versatile player in the Pauw machine.

Experienced midfielder Ruesha Littlejohn has recovered from an injury-hit couple of seasons to make the squad. Littlejohn made her Republic debut in 2012 and has made 70 caps and scored six goals. The 32-year-old, who is a massive character in the Irish squad, has spent the majority of her career in England and Scotland, most recently ending a two-year stay at Aston Villa.

A star player in the 2010 Under-17 squad, Denise O'Sullivan is a crucial cog in Pauw's Irish machine. A technical midfielder who can unlock the best defences, the 29-year-old has won 101 caps and scored 19 goals. McCabe is the high-profile midfielder but while O'Sullivan flies under the radar compared to her team-mate, her impact on the team is crucial. After coming through the League of Ireland, O'Sullivan has spent the majority of her career in the United States with Houston Dash and North Carolina Courage.

A recent addition to the Republic of Ireland midfield, London City Lionesses Lily Agg has quickly established herself as an important player for Pauw, who convinced her to switch allegiance from England. She was forced to wait to make her debut due to Covid and injuries, but it was worth the wait as the 29-year-old scored the winning goal against Turkey on her Republic of Ireland debut and netted a crucial header against Finland that secured a place in the World Cup play-offs.

Lucy Quinn is another player who changed allegiance to the Republic of Ireland and made her debut against Australia in 2021, assisting in a 3-2 win. She came through the youth system at Portsmouth and went on to make more than 130 senior appearances, before stints at Birmingham City, Tottenham and Birmingham again, who she still plays for alongside Republic team-mate and namesake Louise Quinn.

Being named in Ireland's World Cup squad caps the most remarkable of decades for Sinead Farrelly. She came out of an eight-year retirement earlier in the year and made her debut in Green after switching allegiances from her native USA, who she represented at youth level. The 33-year-old is perhaps best known for being one of the players who exposed the abuse scandal in the NWSL. Won her sole cap to date against her country of birth in April.

Ciara Grant is another player who has benefitted from a strong showing at the right time. After coming on at half-time against Zambia, the Hearts midfielder was instrumental in the Republic's change of fortunes in a 3-2 win. Part of the Irish Under-17 squad who impressed at the 2010 Euros and World Cup, she returned to the international set up after a break away from football to qualify as a doctor.

Forwards

Amber Barrett will forever be stitched into Irish football's tapestry after her goal against Scotland sealed qualification. Weeks after joining Standard Liege after a number of seasons in Germany, the 27-year-old Donegal striker secured her place on the plane with a fine double in the friendly with Zambia, and will always give her all for the team. Made her senior Ireland debut in 2017 and has scored seven goals in 27 caps - the most famous of which came at Hampden Park last October.

Kyra Carusa is another player to swap the white of the United States for Irish green, with her move into the Republic set-up coming in 2020. The 27-year-old London City Lionesses striker missed a lot of the qualifying campaign through injury but she is set to play a key role in Australia by leading the Irish attack. She has two goals in her 11 caps to date and has strong goal-scoring pedigree in her college and club career to date.

Teenager Abbie Larkin is highly-rated in Irish football circles and is tipped to be the country's next big star. After making her debut in 2022, in which she needed her parents' permission to miss school to attend, she scored her first goal last June in the World Cup qualifying win over Georgia. The Shamrock Rovers forward was also captain for the Republic's Under-17 Euro qualification campaign last year, highlighting a maturity beyond her years. Could the World Cup be her moment to shine?

US-born Marissa Sheva got the nod ahead of Leanne Kiernan for the Republic's attacking options for the World Cup. The 23-year-old winger qualifies for the Republic of Ireland through her Irish grandparents, who come from Donegal and Tyrone. After switching allegiances from the USA, Sheva made her Ireland debut in February against China and started both games against her native USA in April. Pauw is a big fan of the Washington Spirit forward, who chose football over a promising athletics career.

Stats correct as of 5 July 2023

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