(Reuters) – Ireland achieved promotion to League A of the Women’s Nations League after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Albania on Tuesday. However, they had to battle through extreme weather conditions including torrential rain, thunderstorms, and a pitch resembling a lake.
Ireland captain Katie McCabe took to Instagram after the match in Shkoder to express her joy, stating, “Wettest game in history but job done and top of the group with the girlsss.”
In response to McCabe’s post, Ireland teammate Louise Quinn commented, “Ballon Pour,” making a playful reference to McCabe missing the Ballon d’Or ceremony despite her nomination, a sentiment echoed by many others.
In their previous encounter in Dublin, McCabe scored a hat-trick as Ireland cruised to a 5-1 victory. However, the match in Albania presented a completely different challenge, with the pitch turning into what can only be described as a water polo field.
After just 20 minutes of play, the first signs of trouble emerged as thunderstorms and heavy rain arrived. The playing surface quickly deteriorated, making it difficult for players to control the ball or execute accurate ground passes.
At halftime, the score remained 0-0, and the game was delayed for an hour to allow ground staff to clear the waterlogged pitch. Thankfully, their efforts paid off, and the second half was able to commence under improved playing conditions.
In the 88th minute, Denise O’Sullivan scored the decisive goal, securing the victory for Ireland. With a perfect record of four wins from four games, Ireland has secured the top spot in the group and promotion, despite still having two games remaining.
Sinead Farrelly shared her experience on Instagram, stating, “I have never laughed so hard during a game before. The conditions were absolutely absurd, but we got it done.” She accompanied her post with photos and a video showing her enjoying the unusual weather conditions.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes)
