Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Euro 2025 playoff semi-final between Ireland and Georgia, which kicks off at 7.30pm in Tallaght. Ireland won the first leg a comfortable 6-0 at home, writing Mary Hannigan about the game in Tbilisi:
“It wasn’t quite the cruise that the last meetings with Georgia were, those 2023 World Cup qualifying 11-0 and 9-0 drubbings, but the Republic of Ireland’s 6-0 playoff victory in Tbilisi on Friday nudges them one step closer to making it to the European Championships for the first time,” she writes.
“Two goals from Katie McCabe, a sublime finish from Kyra Carusa and first international goals for Jessie Stapleton, Marissa Sheva and Aoife Mannion should – barring a Georgia comeback of biblical proportions – make Tuesday’s return leg in Tallaght a formality.”
So yes, the result of the tie should be a formality, barring a several thousand to one chance but Ireland would still like to put that to bed with a few early goals tonight. Some of the stars are likely to be rested, with fringe players having a chance to shine. Eileen Gleeson will have one eye on the Wales-Slovakia game in the playoff semi-final, the winner should play Ireland next month with a spot in Euro 2025 up for grabs. Wales are 2-1 down to Slovakia after the first leg, so that one could go down to the wire.
