Kyra Carusa convinced the best is yet to come for Ireland

Kyra Carusa felt the Republic of Ireland failed to make their dominance count against Wales but insisted they would be contenders again despite missing out on Euro 2025.

Ireland lost 2-1 at home to Wales for a 3-2 aggregate defeat, all three goals coming in the second half after a scoreless opening 45 minutes when Eileen Gleeson's side had looked on top.

First, VAR alerted referee Marta Huerta De Aza that the ball had struck Anna Patten's arm, then Welsh sub Carrie Jones punished on the counter, before Patten's 86th-minute equaliser set up a frantic finish.

"This was not the result that we expected or wanted to come back into the locker room with," the forward told RTÉ Sport.

"Football is so fickle. You can go back and forth about who deserves to win and who doesn't. The scoreline is the scoreline at the end of the day. I think it's hard to say, but I'd the feeling was that we had a massive hold on this game.

"That first half, the way we were on the ball, our opportunities were there. You hit the post [through Denise O'Sullivan], you get quite a bit of corners. You're feeling like the goal is coming, but ultimately I think that hurts you and you can't wait forever, you have to make sure that the goal does come.

"You never want to give up a penalty at any point in the game. But, to be given in the first 60 seconds of the half, I mean, that's killer for any momentum for any team.

"I think though, still, from the first half, the sentiment was that there was plenty of time and this game was very much in our control. But of course, that puts you on the back foot a bit and it puts you in a difficult position.

"VAR is VAR and it's something we live with in today's game. For them to have a ball over the top [Wales' second goal] and it