Vera Pauw aware she's 'making and breaking dreams'

Vera Pauw is fully aware she's tasked with "making and breaking dreams" as the clock ticks down on the Republic of Ireland's voyage to the World Cup.

On Friday she named a 27-player squad for April's double-header against the USA; the snakes and ladders continuing as old faces drop out and new ones get their chance.

The highly experienced Lucy Quinn fails to make the cut "on the basis", said Pauw, "that another player is better than her". Sydney-born Deborah-Anne De La Harpe started against China in February but she's not in the squad this time around as LOI rising stars Tara O'Hanlon [Peamount United] and Alannah McEvoy [Shamrock Rovers] receive first call-ups.

Injuries rule out Niamh Fahey, Chloe Mustaki, Ellen Molloy, Jess Ziu and Leanne Kiernan, while Megan Campbell is unavailable due to personal reasons. Fahey and Campbell will be on the plane to Australia; others will be anxious.

After the America games, Ireland will play Zambia at Tallaght Stadium in June before welcoming France to Dublin for a World Cup send-off on 6 July. Opportunities to impress are running out.

"Every single moment of every single player is seen every week."

"We are planning and we are assessing but very, very consciously because we know that we are making and breaking dreams," Pauw said.

"Every single moment of every single player is seen every week. It’s narrowing down of course and players also feel they are on the edge if they cannot make it now."

The big news is that Katie McCabe's injury does not look serious. She took a bad bang towards the end of Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final win against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night and left the ground wearing a protective boot. However a scan and X-ray have shown up a bruising of the bone