Sponsor Logo

    Live reporting: Cymru v Kazakhstan

    Check out the Match Centre

    Republic of Ireland vs. Cymru | 2025 European Women’s Championship – WEQ Play-offs Round 2

    Live

        Live ReportMatch Summary

        1. Headliners

          The morning after the night before and Cymru are making headlines across the front and back pages of the national press.

          It wasn’t a dream. Cymru have qualified for EURO 2025. All roads lead to Switzerland.

        6. Match Summary

          Cymru have made history in Dublin. Let the heartbreaks of the past be forgotten as tears of joy replace the pain of previous failures. Cymru are heading to Switzerland next summer and will be one of the 16 nations competing at EURO 2025. Following the 1-1 draw in Cardiff, this would be the day of destiny. Winner takes all, Cymru put their bodies on the line and delivered the long-awaited success this team has craved.

          Head coach Rhian Wilkinson made two changes to the starting line-up as Josie Green and Hannah Cain replaced Ceri Holland and Ffion Morgan, and it was clear from the start that Green would be tasked with keeping a close watch on Ireland captain Katie McCabe. A physical battle between the two left McCabe frustrated and booked after just 17 minutes.

          The 1st leg in Cardiff was a physical encounter and that theme continued in Dublin with a string of hard but fair challenges. As the game settled down the chances followed and it was Denise O’Sullivan who had the best opportunity of the half when her effort beat Olivia Clark but struck the crossbar at the midway point. Clark would then deny Kyra Carusa.

          Cymru would also have their chances and it was Lily Woodham, goalscorer in the 1st leg, who saw her free-kick saved by goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan. From the resulting corner, Brosnan then had to be at her best to prevent Rhiannon Roberts from opening the scoring as she turned her low shot wide of the post. However, it was Niamh Fahey who almost put Ireland ahead just before half-time but her fine strike went narrowly wide.

          The game would turn within minutes of the re-start as a VAR review adjudged that Anna Patten had handled the ball and Cymru were awarded a penalty. Hannah Cain stepped-up and made no mistake. Ireland were visibly rattled and switched gears as they pressured the Cymru defence, but there were opportunities on the counter-attack and Cain almost added a second on 55 minutes but she couldn’t reach a cross from Rachel Rowe.

          Angharad James could have extended the lead but Brosnan prevented the Cymru captain, and a hamstring injury to Jess Fishlock saw her replaced to boost Ireland’s chances. However, Cymru would double the lead on 67 minutes when substitute Carrie Jones latched onto a through ball from Lily Woodham and slotted the ball into the bottom corner.

          After waves of pressure, Ireland finally pulled a goal back on 86 minutes as Patten headed home a McCabe corner, but it was Rhiannon Roberts who would be the hero for Cymru in added time as she made two huge defensive blocks to deny Leanne Kiernan and Denise O’Sullivan. It would prove to be enough to get Cymru over the line, and with it, make history.

          Hannah Cain and Carrie Jones have etched their names in Welsh football folklore as their goals made the difference on the night, but it’s the previous coaches and the hundreds of players who have worn the shirt leading up to this moment who will celebrate tonight. Every single individual has played their part along the way, but it’s this team’s success that will take women’s football in Wales to a completely different level now.

        7. Full-time verdict: Cymru have done it! Incredible scenes in Dublin as EURO qualification and a first major tournament is finally achieved! A penalty from Hannah Cain following a VAR review and a fine strike from substitute Carrie Jones seal a 2-1 win on the night and a 3-2 win on aggregate. This is the result of years and years of hard work that will erase the painful memories of past failures. We have waited so long for this.

        8. 90' + 4'

          Two absolutely incredible and decisive blocks from Roberts to deny Kiernan and O’Sullivan. Unbelievable defending.

        9. 90' + 2'

          More drama as Ireland cause chaos in the Cymru area. So much at stake for both teams and a massive eight minutes of added time.

        10. 88'

          Relentless pressure from Ireland. They know it’s all or nothing, now or never.

        11. Rachel Rowe battles for possession.

        12. 86'

          Goal for Ireland as Patten heads home from a McCabe corner. Cymru did not need that at this stage of the match.

        13. 86'

          Goal

          ANNA PATTEN

        14. 84'

          Substitution

          ISIBEAL ATKINSON replaces HEATHER PAYNE

        15. 84'

          Substitution

          ABBIE LARKIN replaces KYRA CARUSA

        16. 82'

          Substitution

          POWELL Ella replaces GRIFFITHS Alice

        17. Look what it means!

        18. 80'

          Evans back on her feet after some treatment as we head into the final ten minutes of the match.

        19. Lily Woodham challenges for the ball.

        20. 73'

          Substitution

          HOLLAND Ceri replaces WOODHAM Lily

        21. 72'

          Substitution

          MEGAN CAMPBELL replaces NIAMH FAHEY

        22. 72'

          Substitution

          LEANNE KIERNAN replaces JULIE RUSSELL

        23. 71'

          A triple change for Ireland as they look to get themselves back into this match. Still plenty of time left in this one and a goal could really turn the tide. Cymru need to stay focused on the task ahead.

        24. 68'

          Goal

          JONES Carrie

        25. 67'

          GOAL! Jones off the bench and on the counter-attack! A great finish following a great ball from Woodham. It’s 2-0 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate!

        26. 66'

          We’re almost at the midway point in the 2nd half and Cymru lead through a penalty from Cain. Ireland are asking questions and there will be a few big moments to come.

        27. 65'

          Substitution

          JONES Carrie replaces FISHLOCK Jessica Anne

        28. 63'

          Substitution

          MORGAN Ffion Alys replaces CAIN Hannah

        29. Cymru captain Angharad James takes on the Irish defence.

        30. 60'

          Yellow card

          ROWE Rachel

        31. 59'

          A sweeping counter-attack from Cymru but Brosnan denies captain James from doubling the lead. Some great play from the visitors.

        32. 58'

          Ireland desperately pushing for an equaliser but Cymru hold firm. Such a crucial period in this match for both teams.

        33. Cymru goalkeeper Olivia Clark makes a save.

        34. 55'

          Another big chance for Cymru, a superb run from Rowe but Cain just can’t stretch far enough to meet her cross.

        35. 52'

          Cymru need to keep their composure now. What a huge moment in this game that was. Ireland look incensed as they push forward with real purpose now, knowing just what is at stake.

        36. Goalscorer Hannah Cain on the ball.

        37. 50'

          GOAL! Cain scores from the penalty spot, the calmest person in the stadium. What a moment and what a start to the 2nd half.

        38. 50'

          Penalty

          CAIN Hannah

        39. 49'

          Penalty for Cymru following a VAR review!

        40. 46'

          No changes from either side at half-time, we will soon see if any tactical tweaks have been made.

        41. Half-time verdict: No goals but a few chances for both teams with goalkeepers Courtney Brosnan of Ireland and Olivia Clark for the visitors keeping the tie level. Another physical affair between the two sides in the driving Dublin rain, but despite Ireland having the better possession and having more chances on goal, both teams have had two shots on target. This could be a long night.

        42. 44'

          Another scare for Cymru as Ireland end the half as the stronger side. A great strike from Fahey but it flashes wide of Clark’s post.

        43. 41'

          A nervous moment at the back for Cymru but Clark brings the matter to a close as she saves an effort from Payne.

        44. Jess Fishlock controls the ball.

        45. 34'

          Another huge chance for Cymru from the resulting corner as Roberts’ effort his saved by Brosnan. Too big opportunities for the visitors within a minute.

        46. 33'

          Great effort from Woodham as her free-kick beats the Irish wall but not Brosnan in goal.

        47. 30'

          A big save from Clark to deny Carusa from giving Ireland the lead. Ireland will not want to rue these missed chances.

        48. Rachel Rowe in possession.

        49. 23'

          A huge chance for Ireland as O’Sullivan strikes the crossbar with Clark beaten. Almost identical to the equaliser Ireland scored in Cardiff last week, and a big lift for the home side.

        50. 22'

          The rain starts pour down at the midway point of the opening half. Very little between the two sides so far.

        51. 17'

          An early yellow card for Irish captain McCabe, and considering the battle she’s already had with Green in the opening exchanges that could be quite a key moment.

        52. 16'

          Yellow card

          KATIE MCCABE

        53. 15'

          Fishlock with the first effort on target but Brosnan makes a comfortable save. That will give Cymru a boost in what is a very tight game so far.

        54. The two captains complete the pre-match formalities.

        55. 10'

          Quite a battle already developing between Green and Irish captain McCabe. No doubt that Green’s inclusion in the starting line-up was to keep in close contact with the Irish star.

        56. 5'

          A couple of strong but fair tackles from both teams, much like the 1st leg. Another physical encounter appears to be on the cards as both look to get the early advantage.

        57. 2'

          Important early take from a corner for Clark that will just settle any nerves for the Cymru goalkeeper. As expected, a positive start from Ireland with the home crowd behind them.

        58. 1'

          The anthems have fired up the crowd and now Ireland get the game underway. Winner takes all.

        60. Cymru head coach Rhian Wilkinson also spoke to BBC Sport Wales ahead of the match.

          “Everyone’s excited, we can’t get away from that,” she said. “Having history on our doorstep is a momentous occasion. These are the opportunities we want and we’re on the cusp of something great.

          “We’ve made a few slight tactical adjustments and we’re lucky that we have more than eleven players who can start. Once we get over the line this team will believe how good they are.”

        62. Cymru defender Rhiannon Roberts spoke to BBC Sport Wales as the team arrived at the stadium this evening.

          “The nerves are fine, we got them out on Friday night,” said Roberts. “It’s down to one game now and we’ll go out and compete today. We’ve kept everything the same, it’s a normal game for us.

          “We’ve all played in front of big crowds before and it’s something we don’t need to worry about.”

        63. Jess Fishlock goes through her final preparations.

        65. The Cymru squad have arrived and are in good spirits as they take a pre-match stroll around the Aviva Stadium before their warm-up.

          Over 25,000 tickets have been sold and an incredible atmosphere for this hugely-anticipated match is expected.

        67. Starting XI

          Cymru head coach Rhian Wilkinson has made two changes to her starting line-up from the 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland in Cardiff last Friday night.

          Josie Green and Hannah Cain have both been named in the starting XI for tonight’s match while Ceri Holland and Ffion Morgan are on the bench.

          Angharad James will captain the side on this huge occasion, while Lily Woodham, who scored the opening goal for Cymru in the 1st leg, retains her place in the team.

          Meanwhile, Republic of Ireland head coach Eileen Gleeson has made just one change from the team that started the match in Cardiff as Jessie Stapleton replaces Lily Agg.

        70. The stage is set

          The impressive Aviva Stadium in Dublin is ready to host what promises to be a memorable night as Cymru take on the Republic of Ireland for a place at EURO 2025.

          Team news will be available very shortly and keep checking back here for all the pre-match build-up, live match analysis and post-match reaction as one of these two nations look to reach the finals of the competition for the very first time.

        73. The Cymru squad enjoyed a pre-match stroll in the Dublin sun this morning ahead of the winner-takes-all Play-Off Final against the Republic of Ireland for a place at EURO 2025.

        75. Squad update

          Cymru head coach Rhian Wilkinson confirmed yesterday that there are no injury concerns in her squad ahead of tonight’s huge match against the Republic of Ireland.

          Wilkinson was joined by captain Angharad James as the pair spoke to the media about the EURO 2025 Play-Off Final as both nations look to qualify for the finals for the first time.

          Following the 1-1 draw in Cardiff on Friday night where a record crowd of 16,845 were in attendance, over 25,000 tickets have been sold for the match at the Aviva Stadium.

          Kick off is at 7.30pm and the match will be shown live on BBC One Wales as well as on BBC Three across the UK and BBC iPlayer. Radio commentary will also be available from 7pm on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru.

          Watch the press conference with Rhian Wilkinson and Angharad James on RedWall+

        78. Final preparations

          The Cymru squad completed their final training session on Monday at the Aviva Stadium.

          Over 25,000 tickets have been sold for the decisive match against the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday evening with the winners booking their place at the EURO finals in Switzerland next summer.

        80. Wilkinson has Cymru prepared

          Cymru head coach Rhian Wilkinson also addressed the media on Monday afternoon and spoke about the pride she has in her group of players.

          “Our aim as a staff is to keep our process similar regardless of what kind of game it is,” Wilkinson explained. “I don’t need to mention anything about history. The players know. We’ve talked about the history as we came through the group stages, and now it doesn’t need to be mentioned.

          “The only thing that I keep coming back to is that no matter what happens tomorrow, I’ve never been prouder of a group of people. Football is a crazy game, things go in different ways, but I’ll be proud of them no matter what. They’ve put Welsh football on the map.”

          “It’s on the coach of the home nation to talk about the massive advantage of playing at home and having a huge crowd behind them, equally there’s huge pressure on you at home. You love playing in front of huge crowds, but we’re excited to be here in a fabulous stadium.

          “There’ll be a great team stepping out for Ireland, but the pressure will be on them, which is always a good thing for me and my team.”

          Watch the full press conference with Angharad James and head coach Rhian Wilkinson on RedWall+

        82. James confident of Cymru performance

          Cymru captain Angharad James spoke to the media on Monday afternoon to look ahead to the challenge of taking on the Republic of Ireland.

          “I think it’s probably the biggest game we’ve all played in,” said James. “It’s a huge moment for Welsh football and a huge moment for this group. As a group we’ve made sure that we’re focused on the task ahead and it’s just another game.”

          “Every time that we represent Wales it’s the same feeling that we all have. We represent Wales with such pride and such passion and hopefully you can see that in our performance tomorrow. If we deliver our game plan then I have every confidence in this group that we will get a result.”

          Watch the full press conference with Angharad James and head coach Rhian Wilkinson on RedWall+

        84. Welcome to Dublin

          The Football Association of Ireland confirmed on Monday morning that over 25,000 tickets have now been sold for the decisive EURO Play-Off Final 2nd leg against Cymru at the Aviva Stadium.

          The tie remains in the balance following the 1-1 draw at the Cardiff City Stadium on Friday night when a record attendance for a home Cymru women’s international was set with 16,845 fans coming out to support Rhian Wilkinson’s side.

          The Cymru squad arrived in Dublin on Sunday evening and will now complete their final preparations for what is sure to be another intense encounter on Tuesday night.

        87. Final preparations

          The Cymru squad trained in Cardiff on Sunday before heading to Dublin for Tuesday’s huge EURO Play-Off Final 2nd leg against the Republic of Ireland.

          Following the 1-1 draw in the 1st leg on Friday night, nothing separates the two nations heading into this decisive match with both teams looking to qualify for the EURO finals for the first time.

          Lily Woodham (below) scored the only goal for Cymru in Cardiff while head coach Rhian Wilkinson believes her team can perform better and will be expecting improvements on Tuesday evening.

        89. James believes there’s more to come from Cymru

          Cymru captain Angharad James is expecting an improved performance from her side in Dublin on Tuesday night.

          “It’s a derby and a game that means a lot to both teams,” said James to BBC Sport Wales after the 1-1 draw on Friday night. “We’re taking a good result over to Dublin and we’ll give it everything we’ve got next week.

          “We showed our passion and pride to wear the jersey. We’ll take that into the next performance, but we’ll re-group and look at how we can get better for Tuesday. As a group we know we can be better, that wasn’t out best performance by a long way.

          “But there’s a pressure in these games and in pressure comes privilege, and we will be better for Tuesday. We’ve got a lot to work on and they haven’t seen anything yet.”

        91. Cymru v Republic of Ireland – A special fixture

          Either Cymru or the Republic of Ireland will qualify for the EURO finals for the first time on Tuesday night in a fixture that marked the start of both of their respective women’s football stories.

          The first ever women’s international for Cymru and the Republic of Ireland was against each other back in May 1973 when the two teams met at Stebonheath Park, Llanelli.

          Despite not even training together before the match and having to pay all of their own travel expenses, Ireland won the match 3-2 through a hat-trick from 19-year old Paulo Gorham, with Gaynor Blackwell and Gloria O’Connell scoring the consolation goals for the Cymru side.

          An impressive crowd of 3,500 was reported to be in attendance, and those who played now find themselves cult heroes of the history of the women’s game in the eyes of both nations. The match took place not long after the ban on women’s football had been lifted in the early 1970’s.

          Over the course of that particular decade, various different coaches took charge of a makeshift Cymru side unconnected to the Football Association of Wales for a series of friendly matches. Back then, few could have predicted the rise of the women’s game across the world and the investment that has been made, but their contribution is one they should be extremely proud of.

          Cymru 2-3 Republic of Ireland – Stebonheath, Llanelli. 13 May 1973.

          Cymru squad: Sherryl Evans, Sandra Hunt, Valerie Bevan, Michele Adams, Jackie Purchase, Tina Cosatori, Kay Merrill, Gaynor Blackwell, Gloria O’Connell, Gillian Byron, Sandra Bretag, Pat Griffiths, Sue Johnson, Shelley Winters, Marlene Mayer-Hughes, Mai Griffith, Julie Yale.

          Republic of Ireland squad: Anne Griffith, Nora McHugh, Geraldine Molloy, Sally Bownes, Mary O’Callaghan, Mary Gavin, Carol Carr, Linda Gorman, Margaret O’Connell, Catherine Rafferty, Paula Gorham, Teresa Holland, Eleanor Carroll, Geraldine Grace.

        94. All roads lead to Dublin

          Qualification for the EURO 2025 finals remains very much in the balance following the 1-1 draw between Cymru and the Republic of Ireland in Cardiff on Friday night.

          Lily Woodham (below) opened the scoring for Rhian Wilkinson’s side in front of a record 16,845 fans at the Cardiff City Stadium, but the visitors levelled and the two teams now meet at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Tuesday night to decide who will progress to the finals that will take place in Switzerland next summer.

          “To go into this second leg all square is not a bad situation,” explained Wilkinson after the match. “Obviously we would have liked to win. It’s half-time. My team battled well. I wasn’t as pleased with our style of play.

          We were too direct. Ireland are very good at what they do. They don’t mess about with the ball, and I think we played into their hands so I expect more from the team in Dublin.”

        96. There is no live report available for this match

        Lineups

        Starting

          Substitutes

            Starting

              Substitutes

                Table

                P
                Gd
                Pts

                Match Info

                Stadium

                Date & Time

                Referee

                Fourth Official

                Assistant Referees

                Learn more from FA Wales

                Sign up to receive all things FAW, from team news, tickets, domestic, grassroots, to exclusive offers and prize draws.

                We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data – view our privacy policy by clicking here.