Sport

Barrett winner offers history and small solace

After sending Ireland to the World Cup, Donegal's Amber Barrett points to the black armband worn in memory of the ten people that lost their lives in Creeslough
After sending Ireland to the World Cup, Donegal's Amber Barrett points to the black armband worn in memory of the ten people that lost their lives in Creeslough After sending Ireland to the World Cup, Donegal's Amber Barrett points to the black armband worn in memory of the ten people that lost their lives in Creeslough

2023 World Cup playoff: Scotland 0 Republic of Ireland 1

THE horrendous week that it’s been in Donegal, there was the most fitting symmetry to it being one of their own, Amber Barrett, who sent Ireland to a World Cup for the first time ever.

With Ireland and Scotland’s Hampden Park playoff settling and seemingly starting to edge towards extra-time, Barrett was released on the break.

Her fresh legs strode clear and her mind was clear. Lee Gibson advancing, she pokes it across and just inside the far post.

From her patch of Milford at the foot of the Broad Water to Creeslough, touching Sheephaven Bay, is 25 minutes.

Barrett’s grandparents were born in Creeslough, she’d spent her youthful summers there.

She poked Ireland to the World Cup and then dropped to her knees, kissing the black armband on her left sleeve, worn in memory of the ten people who lost their lives in the most tragic of circumstances on Friday afternoon - Shauna Flanagan Garwe and her father Robert Garwe, Leona Harper, Hugh Kelly, Jessica Gallagher, Martin McGill, James O'Flaherty, Martina Martin, Catherine O'Donnell and her son James Monaghan.

“I know Creeslough like the back of my hand,” ” Barrett told RTÉ after the game.

“Both my grandparents are Creeslough born and bred. I spent all my summers in Creeslough. I know people who died in the tragedy, I know people who were on the scene of the tragedy.

“There’s been a sombreness about me the last few days. This is fantastic for Irish football but we know we don’t scratch the surface of what has happened. This goal, this award, this night is for those 10 beautiful souls who died. This is for Creeslough. This is for Donegal.”

We all felt their pain in some way this week but the people of Donegal are unique of themselves. A county that has collectively wept with such dignity, given a reason to afford themselves whatever smile they could muster.

This was, as George Hamilton’s canned words alluded to in RTE’s pre-match montage, one of those nights.

A night that Irish football and women’s sport will never forget.

It began wrapped tightly up in permutations had shed most of its complicated layers by half-time. Switzerland had broken Welsh hearts and in doing so, their 120th minute winner coupled with Portugal’s 4-1 extra-time win over Finland unfanked Ireland’s night. It became simple. Win in 120 minutes, qualify. Win on penalties, it’s New Zealand in February. Lose and history must wait.

History seemed to bear no weight in Hampden Park.

Vera Pauw declared pre-match that she could feel no tension, that they just wanted the game to get going. When it did, Ireland played most of the football in the first half but had the big scare to survive first.

Scotland worked it well down their right wing and Martha Thomas’ stuttered movement earned her a yard off Niamh Fahey. The cutback was perfect and the shot was deflected up on to the bar via Fahey’s hand. Ireland protested but with no cause.

Real Madrid’s Caroline Weir stepped up. Courtney Brosnan held her line and plunged left, meeting the strike with both palms.


It had come against the run of play but they were lucky five minutes later that Brosnan didn’t concede another when she clumsily bundled Thomas over, but got away with it. VAR was held in reserve.

Playing in orange for the first time, Megan Campbell threatened to overwhelm Scotland in the silhouette of Rory Delap. 30, 40, 50 yards she turfed the ball from her hands on to the edge of the nervous Scots’ six-yard box. Four times in the first half she caused havoc, but the defining touch was missing.

Once it went straight through, Lily Agg millimeters away. In first-half stoppage time, Sophie Howard had to clear off the line twice for Scotland amid an almighty scramble that saw Niamh Fahey, Lily Agg and Diane Caldwell all denied within seconds.

The second half didn’t contain near the same drama for 25 minutes, but packed an enormous amount into the final 25 (including stoppage time).

It seemed like a game drifting towards extra-time under Barrett, not long on, opened up her fresh stride and got clear in behind. The finish was the most spectacularly beautiful toe-poke in the history of Irish women’s football.

From there, it was one Scottish attack after the other. Courtney Brosnan plucked one after the other after the other, relieving the pressure time and again.

There were scrambles and half-chances but nothing that Scotland could look back on with regret.

It was Ireland’s night, Amber Barrett’s night. A night to give a tiny glimmer of solace to Donegal.