Ireland rain supreme to earn Nations League promotion

The Republic of Ireland have been promoted to the League A of the UEFA Nations League after an 89th-minute Denise O'Sullivan strike saw them overcome a weather-enforced delay and atrocious conditions to dig out a 1-0 win in Albania.

The game descended into farce from 15 minutes on as incessant rain turned the pitch into an ice rink.

At half-time the match was suspended, with groundstaff feverishly sweeping pools of lying water off the pitch for about 90 minutes.

The game did finally resume, and though Ireland never truly found their rhythm on a dour evening, O’Sullivan pounced late to maintain their 100% record in the UEFA Nations League.

Northern Ireland’s subsequent draw with Hungary in Belfast means the Girls in Green have won the group with two games to spare.

It was no classic, but Ireland did enough to escape with a soggy, hard-earned victory that lifts them into elite company.

Eileen Gleeson made two changes to the side that won 5-1 last Friday. Striker Erin McLaughlin was handed her first senior start and Sinead Farrelly came into the midfield as Izzy Atkinson and Megan Connolly dropped out.

The players' cries echoed around the sparsely attended Stadiumi Loro Borici during an open start.

Albania, just as they did in Tallaght, sporadically threatened to expose Ireland's 3-5-2 shape down the flanks, primarily through the eye-catching pair Mimoza Hamidi and Megi Doci.

Gleeson switched McCabe out to the left to give Mclaughlin an opportunity up top alongside Kyra Carusa, but in a scratchy opening period, Ireland missed the verve she provides when used centrally.

Cracks of thunder preceded intensely heavy rain in Schkoder. And as the heavens opened, Ireland plodded along without much pace or imagination.

O'Sullivan's close-range