The Republic of Ireland had to be patient in Tbilisi, but their superior quality and fitness ultimately told as they planted one foot in the Euro 2025 play-off final with a comprehensive defeat of Georgia.Eileen Gleeson's charges travelled as overwhelming favourites to swat the minnows aside in their quest to make a first European Championships.However this proved to be harder evening's work than the scoreline suggests.Only a Katie McCabe penalty separated them at half-time, with Kyra Carusa, a fine McCabe long-range effort, first senior goals for Jessie Stapleton and Marissa Sheva and Aoife Mannion's header adding a good coat of gloss to proceedings.The tie is done and dusted ahead of the second leg at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday, but Gleeson will still want a strong performance ahead of a November meeting with either Wales or Slovakia in the final, when the stakes - and opposition - will be on a different level.Three months from their last outing - an excellent win against France - Gleeson made five changes to her starting line-up.
Heather Payne was left on the bench as Abbie Larkin got the nod at right wing-back, while Julie-Ann Russell and Carusa were paired up top for the first time and Grace Moloney replaced the suspended Courtney Brosnan in goal.The Girls in Green came to Georgia two years ago and won 9-0, but they faced a much-improved side this evening, one that railed against their ranking of 118th in the world.Israeli coach Iris Antman set her team up to sit in a deep, dense block on a tight pitch and challenged Ireland to play through the congestion.They did offer early evidence of their ability to do just that when Mannion threaded a smart ball through for Larkin, who teed up Denise O'Sullivan to whip in a