Courtney Brosnan puts Kiev blunder in the past before final audition

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Goalkeeper residences were a staple of Irish international teams, men and women, until five years ago.

Shay Given, with the exception of a brief period of retirement, held the top spot firmly for 15 years.

Centurion Emma Byrne surpassed the 20-year mark as the top pick until her retirement in 2017.

Similar modified models have consumed both teams since – Darren Randolph and Marie Hourihan took over for a few years, only to find themselves ousted by the newcomers.

Teenager Gavin Bazunu snatched control from Mark Travers in Stephen Kenny’s pecking order, while Caoimhín Kelleher adds to the competition.

It was just as tight in the women’s team. In the last campaign, the European qualifiers which ended in December, Hourihan was moved by Courtney Brosnan and then reinstated.

Hourihan’s injuries created a vacancy for the last two matches, first occupied by Brosnan and then Grace Moloney.

The change between the qualifiers against Ukraine and Germany was likely due to Brosnan’s problems in Kiev.

Áine O’Gorman was credited, more like debited, with the own goal which cost Ireland the point of almost guaranteeing a place for the play-offs, but the keeper’s inability to move her feet quickly enough to control the temperamental back pass was a contributing factor. .

Over the next 11 months, O’Gorman applied dry humor when reminded of the concession, saying she will be forever remembered for the calamity, no matter how high she is. at club and international level.

Brosnan, the American-born plug who joined Everton from West Ham United ahead of the Women’s Super League season, also attempted to erase him from the memory bank.

“As an elite top athlete, things happen,” she reflected, speaking for the first time about the incident.

“As much as there is the physical side, the mental side is just as important.

As an elite athlete, you get used to adversity and setbacks. It’s always difficult when things aren’t going your way, but being able to move forward is really important to me.

The prospect means vying for the position of goalkeeper for Vera Pauw’s side for the World Cup qualifiers which begin next month.

Brosnan and Moloney both started a game in the last rally, the two-sided friendly against Iceland in June, and Hourihan’s exclusion from the squad makes it a direct shootout between the two emerging contenders.

First-choice Reading Moloney has the advantage over Brosnan, replacing Everton, but she gave up the warm-up for the weekend’s loss to Arsenal and is uncertain for next Tuesday’s friendly against Australia.

That puts the New Jersey-born goalie in a position to showcase her credentials on her fifth pick in the final audition for the qualifying doubles against Sweden and Finland.

Ideally, she would have playing time behind her to strengthen that field, but accepted the risk of idleness by choosing to challenge England international Sandy MacIver at Everton.

“The main objective is to play for both Everton and Ireland. This is one of the most difficult things when choosing a club. You have to look at everything: where you are going to challenge, the playing time and how much you will improve your game. I spoke to Vera and goalkeeper coach Jan Willem van Ede about what was best for me.

“There’s a balance in saying, ‘If I go here, how much better will I be? A lot of that was taken into account when moving to Everton.

At least she’ll have fans in the ground at her first opportunity to line up at home. Eligible through ancestors of Roscommon and Kerry, she claims no descent to any of the Kingdom’s legendary GAA Brosnans.

“Em, not to my knowledge,” she replies of the lineage. “But having that name must be good for me!” “

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