Eileen Gleeson talks up importance of flushing the team with youth

Republic of Ireland interim boss Eileen Gleeson said she's committed to blooding young players for the remainder of her reign after overseeing another comprehensive UEFA Nations League victory on Friday evening.

The Girls in Green swatted Albania aside 5-1 in Tallaght, with Kaie McCabe netting a hat-trick and Kyra Carusa chipping in with a brace.

Gleeson started 18-year-old Abbie Larkin and Izzy Atkinson - four years her senior - on the flanks while Peamount United's Erin McLaughlin, 20, came off the bench.

The flush of youth meant Heather Payne, Lucy Quinn and Amber Barrett didn't make the matchday 23, and the intense competition for places becomes even more apparanet when you look at the players who aren't in this month's squad at all: Niamh Fahey, Aoife Mannion, Marissa Sheva, Ruesha Littlejohn, Savannah McCarthy, Claire Walsh, Tara O'Hanlon, Jess Ziu and Leanne Kiernan.

However Gleeson stressed the importance of blooding fresh talent as she looks to leave the squad in rude health once she passes on the reins to Vera Pauw's permanent successor, whoever that may be.

"It was just all football decisions.... looking after the players," she said when asked about the senior players who were left out of the 23 to face Albania.

"We have a game on Tuesday as well so these are all factors that go into these decisions. We really want to be able to transition young players through and that's what we did tonight. Abbie, Izzy, getting Erin on, and we're happy with that.

"We want to give these young players opportunities to express themselves.

"This is the nature of football and the nature of life. We all get old, so you have to plan for that transition.

"These young players are coming through. The only way to give them experience is to give