Patten's late goal can't save Ireland from Euro 2025 heartbreak against Wales

Anna Patten's goal wasn't enough as Ireland lost out 2-1 to Wales, who take a place at Uefa Women's EURO 2025 in Switzerland next year.

In the play-off round two, second leg match in front of 25,832 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, following on from a 1-1 draw on Friday, Wales were 2-0 up before Patten's managed to pull one back with four minutes to go following Katie McCabe's corner.

As Ireland laid siege late on into eight minutes of injury time, Rhiannon Roberts made a last-ditch clearance to deny Abbie Larkin as she was about to pull the trigger when in on goal, Wales cleared off the goal line and Denise O'Sullivan saw a deflected shot land on the roof of the net. 

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O'Sullivan curled a shot off the crossbar on 23 minutes, but in a tense first half Ireland goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan made good stops from a Lily Woodham free-kick and then had to get down low to turn a Roberts effort away. Two minutes into the second half, Wales were awarded a penalty when referee Marta Huerta De Aza checked the replay to penalise Patten for a handball in the box. Hannah Cain sent Brosnan the wrong way from the spot to give the visitors the lead.

Wales continued to create chances and Cain tested Brosnan again and then a save was needed to keep Angharad James-Turner out. Carrie Jones finished a breakaway move to put Wales 2-0 up on 67 minutes. 

Patten of Aston Villa qualifies for Ireland due to her Falcarragh-born grandfather Donald Coyle. Amber Barrett from Milford, who plays for Standard Liège in Belgium, and Blackburn Rovers' Tyler Toland, from St Johnston, were unused Irish substitutes.