Inside Track: World Cup celebrations cause a song and a dance

Is it politically incorrect to say the Republic of Ireland ladies’ team has qualified for next year’s World Cup, or the Republic of Ireland team has qualified for next year’s Ladies’ World Cup? RTE radio seems to think so.

In its preview and review of the Ireland’s magnificent win over Scotland in last week’s FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 qualifying play-off, the national broadcaster didn’t say it was the ladies’ version, which might just have left those with only a passing interest in sport wondering if we were on to a return to the days when the country was in danger of losing the run of itself, as Jack Charlton took the men’s team on three incredible odysseys. Could this be another one, led by Stephen Kenny?

But that’s a trivial matter. What matters most is that for the first time ever, this part of the country will be represented in the girls’ game’s biggest tournament. It goes ahead in Australia and New Zealand next June, and that’s a reason to celebrate.

Yes, but what a pity the team had to go and spoil it all with their IRA chant afterwards in the dressing room? Was this all they could think of in their hour of glory? Even Ole, Ole, Ole, by now nearly battered into submission, would have been better, and wouldn’t have the chanters in a pickle that they’ve found themselves.

Why did they do it? Why did the Tyrone footballers think it was a good idea to come out with a rebel song as the bus carrying them on the way home from a championship match passed an Orange parade?

Why did those said to have been at a get-together in an Orange hall outside Belfast mock the death of Mickey Harte’s daughter, Michaela, who had been murdered while on honeymoon? Why do Rangers’ fans on one side and Celtic fans on the other make sectarianism the basis for their chants? Why, indeed.    

Donegal has a rich soccer history. It has given us two of the country’s finest goalkeepers, Packie Bonner and Shay Given, while Seamus Coleman is keeping the county’s rich International tradition alive. And there’s Finn Harps, who, if they’re not setting the place alight nowadays, were once one of the county’s best, big Brendan Bradley their ace goal-poacher.

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The north-west, and, indeed, the whole country, is still trying to come to terms with the most awful of tragedies – the effects of which will be there for years to come. The Ireland players wore black armbands at Hampden Park in remembrance of those who died at Creeslough.

Amber Barrett, who came up with the winning score in the 1-0 win, is from Donegal and knew some of the victims. They were first to come to her mind as she accepted the congratulations of her colleagues.

If the conversation is about Dundalk ladies’ football, Paula Gorham will invariably come up for mention. With good reason. Born in the Quay area of town, she was on the team that played Wales in Ireland’s first official International, in 1973, and celebrated the occasion with a hat-trick. If it was now she’d be an automatic choice on Vera Pauw’s team.

Several more caps followed, and when the FAI reached its centenary two years ago, the Dundalk girl was inducted into the association’s Hall of Fame. There to do the honours was President Michael D Higgins.

It may not be widely known that Paula also played Gaelic football. This she revealed in a chance meeting with Inside Track a number of weeks back. Kilkerley was her club team, but she also played with the county, and more than that, was assistant-secretary when the first-ever ladies County Board in this county was set up, in 1976.

Around the same time a four-county league was inaugurated. Louth, involved along with Armagh, Meath and Cavan, reached the final only to be beaten by Cavan. Now, at a time when women are having a deserved monopoly on sporting headlines, it’s apt to list the Louth team.

It read: Madge Martin; Margaret Brennan, Briege Ferguson, Rose Shields; Ann Malone, Margaret Cumiskey, Dympna Duffy; Lily Carroll, Anne Ryan; Briege Carroll, Paula Gorham, Mary Carroll; Ann McArdle, Noreen McShane, Dolores Toner.

Last week’s Ireland players’ indiscretion will be long forgotten by the time the World Cup comes around. In the meantime, Victorious Vera is likely to lead her team into a series of friendlies in preparation for the big event. The Aviva could house a capacity crowd.