Ireland fall to narrow loss against high-quality France

The Republic of Ireland were typically honest and committed at Stade Saint Symphorien, but those qualities were not enough to stop a supreme France earning a deserved, and in truth comfortable, 1-0 win in the Euro 2025 qualifier.

Eileen Gleeson said in the build-up that her side were in Metz to win; however a 5-4-1 formation betrayed the fact that they knew that was realistically beyond them. A point here would have been monumental, and in fairness Ireland kept themselves in it right to the end despite coughing up an early goal and being pinned back for most of the contest.

Marie Antoinette Katoto tapped home a seventh-minute opener after lax Irish defending, and it felt like the floodgates would open.

They didn't, despite Herve Renard’s world No 3-ranked aristocrats bombarding the Irish rearguard all night.

Ireland rarely threatened, though they did at least make the home fans a little twitchy with a rally in the last five minutes that saw Caitlin Hayes glance a huge Megan Campbell throw into the arms of the keeper.

That was as good as it got, and Gleeson must now recharge her squad for Tuesday’s massive encounter with England at the Aviva Stadium.

The build-up was overshadowed by the desperately sad news that Colin Healy's wife Kelly has passed away. Healy didn’t travel to Metz, with Stephen Rice stepping in to fulfil his coaching duties.

There were cat calls from the second minute when Brosnan took her time with a kickout – the natives irritated by the first hint Ireland had arrived with the intention of spoiling the party.

But their mood would soon be lifted.

France pressured Ireland from the off, with Kadidiatou Diani feeding the marauding Eve Perisset, who slid in a wicked cross that was booted away by Heather Payne.