Ireland sign off Down Under with draw against Nigeria

The Republic of Ireland's picked up their first ever point at a major women's tournament as they dug out a goalless draw against Nigeria in their final World Cup group game in Brisbane.

The adventure is over, with the Super Falcons progressing to the last 16 and the Girls in Green now in managerial purgatory.

Vera Pauw's contract is about to expire, and the FAI yet to offer clarity on whether she will remain in charge for another qualification campaign.

Her team produced another spirited, if limited, display to hold Randy Waldrum’s vibrant team who march into the knockout stages alongside Australia, after they thumped Canada 3-0 in Melbourne.

Ireland were indebted to Courtney Brosnan for making a magnificent second-half stop to deny Uchenna Kanu, and though they huffed and puffed, Pauw's side couldn’t fashion a winner the partisan crowd craved.

They begin the long journey back tomorrow, with a homecoming event planned for Dublin’s O’Connell Street this Thursday. Their achievements deserve recongition, but as has been the case before with this Ireland side, off-the-field issues threaten to sour the party.

Pauw tweaked her midfield into a box shape, as Lily Agg sat deep with Ruesha Littlejohn to give Denise O'Sullivan and Sinead Farrelly license to get higher up the pitch.

The tone of the game was set early; Ireland had plenty of possession, with their opponents triggering pressing traps to launch counters.

Toni Payne showed lovely feet in the early exchanges to dance away from a challenge and fizz in a wicked cross that no one gambled on. Instantly Ireland responded. Heather Payne’s pullback was controlled by Farrelly, who teed up McCabe to drag a left-footed daisy-cutter a yard past the post.

There was a skittish energy to