Latest news with #MeganCampbell
Irish Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
USA v Ireland: Carla Ward left with limited options for tough second friendly
Friendly: United States v Republic of Ireland Sunday, TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, 8pm Irish time (Live on RTÉ 2) Much as she might like to freshen up her team for the second of their friendlies against the United States, following their 4-0 defeat in the first, Republic of Ireland manager Carla Ward has limited enough options ahead of Sunday evening's meeting in Cincinnati. Both Denise O'Sullivan and Megan Campbell have been ruled out of the game having missed the Denver defeat with injuries, and there are doubts too over a number of other players. Ruesha Littlejohn's long-standing Achilles problem saw her limited to one half on Friday, while Ward revealed that Ellen Molloy, Izzy Atkinson and debutante Erin Healy were able for no more than 15 minutes in the game. Erin McLaughlin, who was recently released by Portsmouth, has been called up, the 22-year-old having been capped three times before. And Philadelphia-born Dee Bradley, who plays her football with Durham in the English Championship, has been invited to train with the squad, the midfielder qualifying to play for Ireland through her Donegal-born father and Cork-born mother. READ MORE The quick turnaround after an energy-sapping contest for the Irish side – the heat, high altitude and quality of the opposition leaving them drained at the end – simply adds to Ward's woes. 'Sunday is going to be difficult,' she said to RTÉ, 'but we have to dig deep into that performance to see what we can change and tweak, and, being honest, see who we have fit and available.' She was insistent, though, that despite being outclassed by the Americans, her players will benefit from the experience. 'I said to the girls that we're going to learn more out of tonight than we will have in all our Nations League games. And that's what this is about. 'We've faced the best team in the world. They have unbelievable quality, they really have. They're all in season, fit. We know where we're at, we're out of season. We've done what we could have done with what we had available. I take my hat off to the group.' 'We asked them to leave everything out there and they did,' she said, referring to the conditions. 'There has to be some optimism given who we're playing against and all the contributing factors. They've done pretty well considering.' With Sunday's game kicking off at 3pm local time, it could be hotter still in Cincinnati, the temperatures forecast to surpass 30 degrees. United States head coach Emma Hayes during Friday's game against Ireland. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho Asked by ESPN if she would 'take it easy' on Sunday against her old friend Ward, US head coach Emma Hayes replied with an emphatic 'no'. 'I won't change who I am, definitely not, not for anyone – even if I like you. The US women's team has such a high bar that it's up to me to keep pace with that and deliver teams that pursue excellence every time. So, we will absolutely be looking to do that again. There will be changes, though, I want to see the whole squad.' The Irish defence would, no doubt, like to see left-winger Alyssa Thompson rested after she gave them a torrid time on Friday, while Rose Lavelle was outstanding in midfield on her first appearance in six months after ankle surgery. Seeing as Cincinnati is her hometown, it's likely that Lavelle will appear again. It could be a long 90 minutes.
The 42
2 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Injury rules Denise O'Sullivan and Megan Campbell out of opening USA friendly
DENISE O'SULLIVAN AND Megan Campbell will both have their respective injuries assessed to determine whether they can play any part in the Republic of Ireland's friendly double header with the USA in Colorado. Both players are definitely ruled out of the opening game with the USA in the early hours of Friday morning (2am Irish time) but could return for Sunday's fixture against the team ranked number one in world. Advertisement O'Sullivan picked up a knee injury on club duty last weekend while Campbell is nursing an ankle issue from training. There'll be no Denise O'Sullivan or Megan Campbell for the Republic of Ireland against the USA on Friday morning (2am, live on @RTEplayer ), but boss Carla Ward tells @Corktod she expects others to embrace the challenge against Emma Hayes' world No 1-ranked team #RTEsoccer — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 25, 2025 Ireland boss Carla Ward is already missing captain Katie McCabe for the trip Stateside as the Arsenal star was afforded more time off after winning the Champions League with the English club. Aoife Mannion and Heather Payne have also not travelled as the pair search for new clubs following their release from Manchester United and Everton, respectively. The second friendly with the USA is on Sunday at 8pm Irish time.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Campbell and O'Sullivan out of first USA friendly
Defender Megan Campbell and midfielder Denise O'Sullivan have been ruled out of the Republic of Ireland's first friendly against the USA on Friday through picked up a knock in training whilst O'Sullivan sustained a knee injury whilst playing for her club North Carolina Courage against Houston Dash in an NWSL game on Sunday."They're both out for this first game definitely, we'll see where we are at for the second game. Denise picked up a knock on the knee on Saturday and Megan picked up a knock in training yesterday," Ward told join a long list of Irish players who are unavailable for the game against the number one ranked side in the world, who the Republic have failed to beat in their previous 15 Katie McCabe has been rested and did not make the trip to America with Aoife Mannion, Heather Payne and Leanne Kiernan also Finn, Lily Agg and Jess Ziu are long-term absentees, while Aoibheann Clancy did not travel after the passing of her mother, Irish will take on Emma Hayes' side in Denver on Friday and three days later in Cincinnati."The size of the task is huge and when you leave people like Katie, Aoife, Heather and Leanne Kiernan at home and then you lose another couple of big players that usually start, I think that puts us in a really in a difficult spot," Ward added."If we can go away from the result part of it and look at, trying to implement some pieces of the puzzle that we're trying to put together, then that's got to be the focus."
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Denise O'Sullivan and Megan Campbell added to Ward's injury list
The Republic of Ireland have suffered a blow ahead of the first of two friendlies against the USA in Denver tomorrow, with the news that experienced defender Megan Campbell and midfielder Denise O'Sullivan have both been ruled out of the game through injury. Campbell, who recently set a world record for the longest throw in women's football, suffered an ankle knock in training while O'Sullivan - who is based in the US with North Carolina Courage - picked up a knee injury playing against Houston Dash in an NWSL game on Sunday. Although she reported into the Ireland camp, the Cork woman won't face the world's No 1-ranked team in the early hours of Friday morning (2am Irish time, live on RTÉ Player). Head coach Carla Ward, speaking to RTÉ Sport at the Ireland team's training base in Jefferson County, north of Denver, admitted that the loss of two of her more experienced players was a big setback. "I know that the US would have been gearing up for Denise. There's no question about it. You know, it's a big loss in this first game, but she's been around the group, she's going to make sure she can influence off the pitch, and hopefully we have her for the second game. "But when people ask me around this group what surprised you, the one thing I say is, Denise O'Sullivan's quality. "I always knew she was good, but working with her, you realise just how good she is she's an unbelievable talent, and to miss her is a huge, huge loss." Ward already had to plan without her captain Katie McCabe who was allowed to miss the trip to the States following Arsenal's Champions League success. Other regulars missing from the squad include Aoife Mannion, Heather Payne and Leanne Kiernan. "We'll see where we're at for the second game, so, look, the size of the task is huge, and then I think when you leave people like Katie, Heather, Leanne, and people like that at home and then you lose another couple of big players that usually start, I think that puts us in a really in a difficult spot," Ward added. "Like I said, if we can go away from the result part of it and look at, you know, trying to implement some pieces of the puzzle that we're trying to put together, then that's got to be the focus."
The 42
16-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Ireland international Megan Campbell released by London City Lionesses
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND international defender Megan Campbell has been released by London City Lionesses following the club's promotion to the Women's Super League. Campbell, who signed with the Lionesses from Everton in January 2024, made 11 league appearances for London City during their promotion campaign in the Championship in 2024/25. The Louth native was one of six players to be released by the club on Thursday, along with Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, Georgia Brougham and Lucy Fitzgerald, Emma Mukandi and Connie Scofield. Advertisement 'Megan Campbell was a real leader on and off the pitch, bringing a wealth of WSL experience with her following her arrival from Everton in 2023/24,' read a London City Lionesses statement. 'She played a massive role in our promotion, featuring in 11 league fixtures this season. The Republic of Ireland international led by example, including scoring the only goal in a narrow 1-0 win over Bristol City.' Campbell recently earned a Guinness World Record for the longest throw-in recorded by a female player. The 31-year-old has represented her country on 50 occasions.
