Photo by Stephen McCarthy
As the season continues and the UEFA Nations League B Window picks up pace, Ireland’s women’s national soccer team (WNT) is ready to continue their winning streak.
Unfortunately, multiple WNT members have succumbed to injuries, forcing them to temporarily take a step back. Here are the Irish internationals that are currently injured.
Niamh Fahey
The Liverpool captain was notably absent from their first Women’s Super League (WSL) game of the season when she was set to face off against Arsenal and her international counterpart, Irish captain Katie McCabe. The Galway native, was unable to participate due to a calf injury which saw her sidelined for six to eight weeks.
Sinead Farrelly
The US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) player became the subject of discussion when she was not included in the Nations League roster against Northern Ireland but participated in a match for her NWSL side, Gotham FC against the Washington Spirit, where she played against fellow Irish international Marissa Sheva.
In response, an FAI statement was released which addressed Farrelly’s injuries. According to the FAI, Farrelly was suffering from severe back spasms that would make it incredibly difficult to travel.
Aoife Mannion
A turbulent year for the Manchester United player, she was nowhere to be found in the WSL side’s first game against Aston Villa. This was the result of a quad tear that had prevented her from participating in the Nations League. As of late September, Mannion was still “eight to ten weeks away” from recovery. This injury comes months after a knee difficulty that would see Mannion not participate in the 2023 World Cup.
— Aoife Mannion (@aoifemannion_) October 6, 2023
Ruesha Littlejohn
The newly signed London City Lioness was not named on the Nations League roster after appearing in the World Cup. Littlejohn has sat out of training sessions with the London City Lionesses as a result of an Achilles tendinopathy.
Caitlin Hayes
Having made her debut against Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, Celtic FC player Caitlin Hayes is the latest person to be added to the Irish injury list. While her side won 2-1 against Glasgow City FC, she was not included in the team lineup for Celtic’s match against Motherwell following a knock to her knee.
Match Gallery | #CelticFC Women v Glasgow City 🖼
Relive the late heroics from the Excelsior Stadium with a selection of the best images! 📸😅#CELCIT | #SWPL | #COYGIG🍀— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) October 6, 2023
It is also worth mentioning that Irish internationals Leanne Kiernan, Jess Ziu, and Jessica Stapleton missed their WSL matches last weekend which could be linked to their improving injuries.
While injuries can be a major setback for footballers, the future looks bright for some. The NWSL recorded the largest number of attendees at Denise O’Sullivans North Carolina Courage game against the San Diego Wave, who Irish teammate Kyra Carusa plays for on 7 October. O’Sullivan, who had recovered from an ankle injury before the World Cup began, displayed an immense amount of talent when she scored against Hungary in the second Nations League match.
