Méabh De Búrca: Aviva Stadium could be 'huge factor' for Ireland against Wales in Euro play-off

Former Republic of Ireland international Méabh De Búrca is hopeful that the Girls in Green playing the second leg of their Euro 2025 play-off against Wales on home soil will give them the edge.

Friday's first leg will take place in Cardiff before Eileen Gleeson's side welcome the Welsh to Aviva Stadium next Tuesday with a first ever European Championship appearance at stake for both sides.

With Wales having beaten Ireland 2-0 in a friendly at Tallaght Stadium back in February, the expectation is that the upcoming tie - both legs are live on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ 2fm - will be closely fought.

Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, De Búrca said her expectation was that there would be little to choose between the sides, with Ireland's experience of reaching last year's World Cup and having the second leg in Dublin being the primary differentiator.

"It's going to be a challenge definitely for the girls but it's going to be one that hopefully they can overcome and I think it's going to be a really tight game, regardless," she said.

"Having the second leg at home, I think, will hopefully be an advantage to us."

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While Tallaght Stadium has been forged into a fortress for Ireland's senior women, they have had a number of opportunities to get used to playing in front of larger crowds at the Aviva Stadium since first doing so against Northern Ireland in September 2023.

"Even last week the figure was over 15,000 (tickets) had been sold, so I'm sure that will pick up even more this week and I think that's going to be a huge factor because it's going to be such a big occasion, that the girls are used to playing there," said De Búrca.

"They're used