7.35am Sports News

Now, Darren Frennel is here with the sports news. Darren, how big is this game for the Irish women today?

Yeah, it's massive, isn't it, Sarah? Play Kazakhstan. It's at noon, so make sure you take note of that kickoff time. A lot earlier than normal. Kazakhstan, just with the time zones and everything like that. Uh, uh, cool enough temperatures as well, so a noon start live on RTÉ 2 and the player. But it is huge because, uh, this Irish women's team, four games away from a, a possible World Cup in Brazil next summer. How, how good would that be?

Mm.

And, uh, should beat Kazakhstan, Sarah, should.

Mm.

Uh, famous last words. They're 98th in the world, so, uh, we'll be hoping to get the job done over the, the two legs. And then later on tonight, Belgium face Poland. Uh, and basically the winner of our game and the winner of their game will meet then to decide who goes to that World Cup final. So we're about a huge, huge chance. Uh, lots of discussion around Karen Ward's future as the manager, but she's been telling Tony O'Donohoe, well she's actually been telling him very little about the, the contract situation. She says her focus is on these next four games.

It's not, it's not of my concern, honestly. It's, my concern is four games, you know? Four games that we wanna win. Four games that I am literally obsessed with, um, in terms of what we do, how we do it, um, and trying to get there. And you know what, when them four games are over, you know, we'll, I'm sure we'll have a... You know, ask me then, but right now, uh, my only concern is, is four games. I don't want any focus taken away from that.

But from what we're hearing, you personally are in demand in, in a lot of places-

[laughs]

... uh, i-in, in England, which is a, a very professional league now.

Yeah, look, I think it's always nice to, when you see your name batted about with top jobs and, you know, it shows maybe the work that we are doing. But, um, like I said, i-it doesn't, it doesn't phase me. I think my concern right now is four games. You know, like I said, I'm gonna use that word, but obsessed with being to, getting to a World Cup. Obsessed with the next four games. Nothing can take my focus away from that because that is what I came here to do.

And happy with the preparation so far? No niggles, no injury worries, no concerns?

Um, yes, there's a couple of doubts. Um, Jess, who's out, out of this game, maybe the second game, um, being assessed at the, you know, to, uh, for the rest of the camp, but she'll be out tomorrow night.

What, what's her issue?

Uh, she's been, had an ongoing issue, um, with her shin and, um, she's been managing it at club. Um, it's just taken a little flare-up, so we'll miss tomorrow night.

Yeah, a couple of, uh, key players missing tonight, but, um, still hopefully we'll get the job done. In the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division last night, Shamrock Rovers beat Drogheda 3-1, so that result sees them return to the top of the table. Got a, a great start in this one as well, and a, a very difficult, a challenging night for both teams, uh, with the weather, the swirling breeze and, and the rain and, and the pitch cutting up. But, uh, they got the opening goal after 34