Northern Ireland’s Women’s Under-19 team produced an excellent performance against Georgia WU19s in the first of three Euro qualifiers over the coming week. Striker Rachel McIntyre was the star of the show with a quickfire hat-trick in the first half.
Competition
WU19 Euro 2024 Qualifiers - League B Group 5
Scoreline
Northern Ireland WU19s 5-0 Georgia WU19s
Scorers
Northern Ireland: McIntyre (1’, 8’, 15’), Weir (82’), Mann (86’)
Venue
Mikheil Meskhi II Stadium, Tbilisi
Date
Wednesday 3 April 2024
Team News
WU19s manager Gail Redmond has chosen a 20-strong panel for three games in the second phase of WU19 Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Georgia is hosting the League B Group 5 mini tournament, while the other teams in the group are Estonia and Kazakhstan.
The six group winners and the runner-up in League B with the best record against the teams finishing first and third in their group will be promoted to League A for 2024-25 round one.
How it happened
Rachel McIntyre (pictured) scored her first of the game when she received a pass from Orleigha McGuinness and spun and shot in one movement, her low drive from 12 yards nestling in the back of the net.
She grabbed her second on eight minutes. Midfielder Aimee Kerr ran from deep and fed McIntyre to the right of the area. She stepped inside her marker and slotted the ball home from 10 yards.
Her third came in the 15th minute. Maeve McConaghy fired in a cross to the back post and the striker was there to tuck it into the net from close range.
After that Northern Ireland continued to create chances.
Georgia keeper Salome Khachapuridze saved from Kerr. Kascie Weir steered an effort past the post before Kerr forced another save out of the keeper and Sofie Keenan fired a free-kick wide.
Half-time: Northern Ireland WU19s 3-0 Georgia WU19s
Northern Ireland continued to attack after the interval although the game became a bit scrappy, with few clearcut chances created.
McIntyre had an effort on goal on 47 minutes, however the next decent chance was not created until the 80th minute when substitute Anastasija Stanyte tested Khachapuridze. A minute later the Georgia keeper saved from Aoibhe O’Neill.
Northern Ireland extended their lead in the 82nd minute. Kerr slipped in Weir and she slotted the ball past the keeper from just inside the area to make it 4-0.
Four minutes after that substitute and WU19s debutant Rebecca Mann scored Northern Ireland’s fifth goal. Her low drive from 16 yards nestled in the bottom corner.
Matchday two will see Northern Ireland take on Kazakhstan at the Mikheil Meskhi I Stadium in the Georgian capital on Saturday (6 April) with an 11am BST start. The WU19s’ final game is against Estonia at the same venue next Tuesday (1pm kick-off BST).
Full-time: Northern Ireland WU19s 5-0 Georgia WU19s
Line-ups
Northern Ireland: Erin McAllister, Orleigha McGuinness, Sofie Keenan, Faye Loughran, Abi Sweetlove (captain), Rhyleigh Marks, Aoibhe O’Neill, Aimee Kerr, Rachel McIntyre, Kascie Weir, Maeve McConaghy.
Substitutes: (used) Niamh O’Donnell, Anastasija Stanyte, Mikayla Wildgoose, Rebecca Magee, Rebecca Mann; (unused) Kate Smith (GK), Sophie Magee, Sarah Tweedie.
Georgia: Salome Khachapuridze, Lizi Gogaladze, Tamuna Londaridze, Natia Tsetskhladze, Nata Kvirkvaia, Mariam Mamporia, Elene Chikovani (captain), Lizi Kankia, Mariami Olkiashvili, Lizi Darchiashvili, Mariami Kakulia.
Substitutes: Mariam Tchrikishvili (GK), Lizi Tsaava, Rusudan Managadze, Nini Beridze, Medea Dzamanashvili, Ana Sagirashvili.
