Donegal trio feature as Ireland lose narrowly to USA

Ciara Grant, Roma McLaughlin and Amber Barrett all came off the bench as the Republic of Ireland went down narrowly to USA in a World Cup warm-up.

Alana Cook netted a fortuitous goal two minutes before half-time as World Cup holders USA won 1-0 in St Louis.

With the countdown to the World Cup in New Zealand and Australia now less than 100 days away, Vera Pauw's Ireland will be encouraged by their doubleheader against the world's number one side.

After a 2-0 loss on Saturday, there were again plenty of encouraging signs for Ireland in front of 22,294 in St Louis.

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Letterkenny woman Grant, who plays for Hearts, came on as a 58th minute replacement for Ruesha Littlejohn while Greencastle's McLaughlin, now with Fortuna Hjørring in Denmark, came in for Lucy Quinn in the 69th minute.

Eight minutes from the end, Amber Barrett from Milford – whose October goal against Scotland sealed World Cup qualification – entered the game. Barrett, a player with Turbine Potsdam in Germany, replaced Kyra Carusa.

All three are vying for spots in Pauw's selection for the summer's big show Down Under.

Cook beat Courtney Brosnan, the Ireland 'keeper, from 45 yards out on 43 minutes,

Pauw said: “There are so much positives coming out of this camp. The jump we have made now I have never perceived in any team that I have coached.”