Eoin Sheahan

Relative parity against the team that is seventh in the world.

Is there a case here that maybe the French underestimated Ireland to touch?

Yeah, the parameters of the pitch were a big talking point beforehand.

It was very, very evident on television, particularly when McCabe was taking those late corners.

You could see how far the pitch had actually been moved in.

An interesting tactic when you're playing with wingbacks, your formation is wide, but you want to narrow your opposition as much as possible, I guess.

Emily Murphy was player of the match, according to Olivia O'Toole on our commentary.

I think she got the official man of the match on television as well, official player of the match on television.

What do you make of her performance this evening?

Definitely, because she had been relatively highly touted before coming into the Ireland squad.

I guess you probably need a dozen 20-something caps before you properly settle into a team.

So she's on an amazing trajectory at this stage, having so few caps.

What are we seeing from the two-star women then, Denise O'Sullivan and Katie McCabe?

Are we able to look at them and say the Republic of Ireland can pin their hopes on them being at peak form over the next 18 months and presuming that we'll get the best versions of them out on the pitch to hopefully take the Republic of Ireland to next year's World Cup?

At this stage of the Carla Ward reign, what are we saying about how things are going?

Because it feels that the Belgium games, they sort of brought to the fore this idea that actually this Ireland team does have the potential to try and, I guess, increase the height of its own ceiling over the next few months.

Do we think tonight represents greater progression?

Do we think it's more of a statement to say that first game against Belgium a few months ago?

Or what does tonight tell us about the bigger picture of the Ward project?

Okay right so the optimism seems to be there then about the next rung of Ireland talent coming through because it did feel after the Wales defeat in particular there was a conversation sort of a real grassroots conversation about the next step for Irish football and this team and where is the next wave of