Limerick woman named in Rep of Ireland women's squad for pre-World Cup camp

AN IN-FORM Limerick defender has been included 27-strong group of players who will link up in Dublin on Monday next to continue preparations with the Ireland Women's National Team for FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.

Claire O'Riordan, from Newcastle West has been named in Manager Vera Pauw's squad ahead of the International Friendly games against Zambia (June 22), France (July 6) and Colombia (July 14) before their World Cup tournament kicks off on July 20 against co-hosts Australia.

Twenty eight-year-old O'Riordan moved to Celtic FC for the 2022/2023 season and has enjoyed an excellent run of form, including scoring a crucial goal in their Scottish Women's Cup success at Hampden Park last month. 

O'Riordan, who has won 17 caps for the Rep of Ireland senior side, joined Celtic FC after a four year spell at German side MSV Duisburg.

Multi-talented O'Riordan has played camogie and Ladies Gaelic football for Limerick - she played camogie with Newcastle West and Ladies Football with Monagea before joining up with Wexford Youths soccer side while in college in IT Carlow. 

After impressing in the colours of Newcastle West AFC, O'Riordan then made her name in the Women's National League with Wexford as a striker. There, the highly rated O'Riordan won league titles and the FAI Cup. 

She converted to centre back following her move to Duisburg in 2018.

The upcoming Rep of Ireland women's training camp schedule will factor in when players finished their respective club seasons, the loads that they can and need to take on plus the recovery times and routines that they require. 

This is to ensure that all players will be in line with each other when entering the final stage of preparation in a safe way. This will be achieved through the use of STATSports technology monitored closely by the team's sport scientist and technical staff.
 
The training sessions will be split between UCD and the FAI National Training Centre over a four-week block.
 
Captain Katie McCabe along with three US-based players - Denise O'Sullivan, Sinead Farrelly and Marissa Sheva - will link up with the squad after the Zambia game, while defender Aoife Mannion is being monitored after picking up a knock in club training recently.
 
Four players from the SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division are part of the group, including uncapped Erin McLaughlin who has continued to impress in WNT Home-Based Training Sessions.
 
A final squad for the World Cup, consisting of 23 players, will be whittled down by June 29 ahead of the send-off game in Tallaght Stadium against France. The squad will then depart for Australia on July 7.
 
The training camp squad was announced at Circle K headquarters on Friday.
 
Ireland WNT Squad

Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (Reading), Megan Walsh (Brighton & Hove Albion), Sophie Whitehouse (Lewes)
 
Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Áine O'Gorman (Shamrock Rovers), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Diane Caldwell (Reading), Hayley Nolan (London City Lionesses), Claire O’Riordan (Celtic), Megan Campbell (Liverpool), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City), Tara O'Hanlon (Peamount United)
 
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ruesha Littlejohn (Aston Villa), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Ciara Grant (Hearts), Lily Agg (London City Lionesses), Sinead Farrelly (NY/NJ Gotham), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Erin McLaughlin (Peamount United)
 
Forwards: Heather Payne (Florida State University), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Abbie Larkin (Shamrock Rovers), Kyra Carusa (London City Lionesses), Amber Barrett (Potsdam Turbine), Marissa Sheva (Washington Spirit), Saoirse Noonan (Durham WFC)