Ireland start life under Carla Ward with scrappy win over Türkiye

Emma Duffy Reports from Tallaght Stadium

Republic of Ireland 1

Türkiye 0

THE HISTORY BOOKS will say the Carla Ward Era began with a win.

Kyra Carusa scored the decisive goal just before half time at Tallaght Stadium, as Ireland opened their Nations League B campaign with a 1-0 victory over Türkiye.

As the final whistle sounded, the new Ireland head coach clenched her fist and embraced her coaching staff, and will have been relieved to escape with all three points.

A win is a win — and was key after Euro 2025 heartbreak — but this was forgettable and scrappy against a team ranked 35 places inferior, at 60th in the Fifa World Rankings.

Necla Güngör Kiragasi’s side made life incredibly difficult for the Girls In Green, and could indeed have levelled matters at the death. It was a little too close for comfort late on.

Colin Healy’s acrimonious exit has dominated the headlines in recent weeks — the former assistant coach and manager, Eileen Gleeson, were thanked in the match programme, including in notes from FAI CEO David Courell and new boss Ward — but now it was time for football.

Ward spoke about implementing “a very different playing style,” and she immediately departed from her predecessor’s favoured 3-5-2. She deployed a 4-1-4-1, making some interesting selection calls. She teased utilising Katie McCabe in a different way, but the captain played left-back as she captained Ireland for the 65th time. Aoife Mannion operated on the other side, both advanced, as long-throw specialist Megan Campbell joined Anna Patten in the centre. 

Unattached midfielder Ruesha Littlejohn was a calm and composed presence as she sat in the six; with fellow free agent Marissa Sheva and Player of the Match Denise O’Sullivan both lively ahead of her. Heather Payne, winning her 50th cap, and Lucy Quinn alternated out wide, and Carusa continued as the focal point up top.

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The cocktail of changes, blustery conditions and a cut-up pitch after Shamrock Rovers’ Europa Conference League defeat last night, combined for a difficult night from the off.

Littlejohn blazed just over from distance with four minutes on the clock, and followed up with a tamer effort, straight at Türkiye goalkeeper and captain Selda Akgöz. The visitors sat deep in a 4-4-2, aggressively zonal marking but carrying a threat, with Elif Reskin and Ebru Topçu among those to impress.

Ireland tried to force the issue with long balls from defence, and the game turned helter-skelter around the 20th minute. Carusa saw a penalty appeal waved on, but Bulbin His’ overzealous efforts were just outside the box. O’Sullivan then had a strike cleared off the line by Busem Seker after a Campbell long throw and Carusa knock-on caused havoc. Türkiye did so then did on the counter; Campbell and Melike Pekel colliding and the Irish defender returning to the pitch with a heavily strapped thigh.

Ireland, as expected, had the lions’ share of possession, but turned increasingly sloppy. They played with fire at the back, Courtney Brosnan put under unnecessary pressure at times, and rehearsed set-pieces didn’t come off.

But they finally broke the deadlock on the cusp of half time.

There were almost 48 minutes on the clock when Carusa struck the first of the Ward era. The San Diego Wave striker beat Akgöz with a brilliant looping header for her 10th international goal; Mannion cleverly playing Sheva to feet in the box, and Payne assisting with a deft cross.

After recent retirees Niamh Fahey, Diane Caldwell and Julie-Ann Russell were celebrated at the break, Ireland would have hoped to drive on. But the Turks continued to frustrate as they took a step forward, and Ireland were pedestrian and poor in possession.

Akgöz was alert to a Littlejohn through ball that had too much on it for O’Sullivan, while Ward turned to Abbie Larkin and Amber Barrett for inspiration from the bench. But it was Türkiye who threatened more as the game stretched; Melike Pekel causing issues out wide, and Campbell forced to clear a wind-assisted Busem Seker corner off the line.

The endgame, like the rest of it, was stop-start and scrappy. Sub-par McCabe was booked for time-wasting on a corner; O’Sullivan shipped a heavy knock from Basak Icinozbebek as sparks flew; and Türkiye had a golden chance in injury time.

Arzu Karabulut really should have done better when she got on the end of a Topçu free-kick, but the substitute striker pulled just wide of Brosnan’s goal to spare Ireland’s blushes.

Not exactly Turkish Delight, but the Carla Ward Era is up and running.

The focus now switches to Slovenia in Koper on Tuesday night. They opened their campaign with a 2-1 win away to Greece earlier on Friday.

IRELAND: Courtney Brosnan; Aoife Mannion, Anna Patten, Megan Campbell (Caitlin Hayes 86), Katie McCabe; Heather Payne, Ruesha Littlejohn (Megan Connolly 77), Denise O’Sullivan, Marissa Sheva; Lucy Quinn (Abbie Larkin 62), Kyra Carusa (Amber Barrett 62).

TÜRKİYE: Selda Akgöz; Ilayda Civelek, Sejde Abrahamsson, Gülbin Hiz, Fatma Sakar; Meryem Çal (Basak Icinozbebek 81), Ebru Topçu; Busem Seker, Ece Türkoglu (Arzu Karabulut 71), Elif Keskin (Didem Karagenc 93); Melike Pekel (Kadar Kancar 81).

Referee: Réka Molnar (Hungary)

Attendance: 8,071.