Courtney Brosnan: One of Ireland’s best performers across the two games. Her handling was exemplary and her finger-tip save to deny Jordyn Huitema was the pick of her net-minding exploits in Perth. 8
Aine O’Gorman: A late replacement for Heather Payne who got injured in the warm-up. A steady game and supported Lucy Quinn on the right flank before being replaced in the second half. 6
STAR PLAYER: Katie McCabe: Ireland’s best player in Sydney and Perth. The Arsenal midfielder might have reacted quicker to Canada’s winning goal but, equally, she always looked the most likely to break the Olympic champions down for a second goal. Has her name etched in history by scoring Ireland’s first-ever goal in a World Cup finals. 8
Niamh Fahey: Brilliant game against Australia - a tougher evening in Perth. The 35-year-old central defender had a lot of acreage to cover down the right side and allowed Julia Grosso to get the cross in that led to Canada’s equaliser. 6
Megan Connolly: Couldn’t get her body shape right for Grosso’s cross and was unfortunate to turn the ball into her own net. Fought right to the end. 6
Louise Quinn: Aerially supreme and was Ireland’s auxiliary centre forward late in the game. Ireland’s best defender in these finals. 7
Ruesha Littlejohn: The Canada assignment was always going to be tougher than the Australia one as the Olympic champions played a much shorter game and pulled Ireland’s midfield out of position. Didn’t get to initiate any attacks. Ran out of gas just after the hour mark. 6
Denise O’Sullivan: Who knows how fit the Cork native was after suffering a bad shin injury in the build-up to the finals. Lively in the opening half hour and probably needed another central midfield player in beside her to get the best out of her. 6
Lucy Quinn: Put a super cross in for Carusa in the opening minutes. Ran her socks off. Probably a preordained half-time substitution as Abbie Larkin entered for the restart. 6
Kyra Carusa: Lacks pace but still caused the Canadian defence a fair degree of stress through her never-say-die spirit. Had two good efforts on goal, held the ball up well before making way for Barrett. 7
Sinead Farrelly: Technically tidy and worked the right flank really well, but the 33-year-old hasn’t 90 minutes in the legs. Had one decent effort on goal. 6
Subs:
Abbie Larkin: A huge ask to repeat her Australia performance. The Canadians had been notified and never gave her space. 5
Amber Barrett: Might have done better with a couple of balls that came into her. 5
Marissa Sheva: Showed a good engine down the right flank and defended well. 6
Izzy Atkinson: A couple of mistakes but she gave the Irish back line more balance. 6
Lilly Agg: One decent effort on goal as she slotted into central midfield. 5
