Barrett helps Ireland to victory with McLaughlin on the bench for first time

Amber Barrett featured as the Republic of Ireland Women's National Team rounded off a memorable year with a 4-0 victory over Morocco in a friendly at the Marbella Football Center.

Barrett played 62 minutes in the match which rounded off a training week for the Irish squad in Spain and they sealed the win courtesy of goals from Megan Campbell, Katie McCabe, Louise Quinn and Kyra Carusa.

Milford native Barrett scored the all-important goal in the play-off against Scotland last month which guaranteed Ireland’s place in the Fifa Women’s World Cup finals for the first time ever. They will take on co-hosts Australia, Canada and Nigeria in the opening round of the competition, which begins next July.

On what was Quinn’s 100th senior appearance, Ireland went with a strong starting line-up and had the uncapped duo of goalkeeper Katie Keane and midfielder Erin McLaughlin - a native of Culdaff and a player with Peamount United - on the bench for the first time. Ciara Grant from Letterkennny and Heart of Midlothian was part of the travelling party.

Erin McLaughlin during a Republic of Ireland Women training session at Dama de Noche Football Center in Marbella

Ireland made a fast start with Campbell scoring her fourth senior goal when she cut inside her marker to curl a left-footed effort into the back of the net after just two minutes.

Morocco barely had a chance to regroup when they conceded a penalty that McCabe converted. Just past the half hour, Lily Agg tried her luck with a volley from distance but it was off target. Still it was a sign of Ireland findng their groove again.

Just before the interval, Seghir Sabbah unloaded a long-range strike after intercepting a pass from Courtney Brosnan but the Ireland goalkeeper was equal to the effort.

Ireland got back into goalscoring form when Quinn added the third, which was her 16th overall in team history and the first with her foot – or at least rebounded in off her foot.

Substitute Carusa made it 4-0 on 79 minutes when she made sure it was a Birthday to remember by heading in from close range after peeling away from the Morocco defence.

Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell (Hayley Nolan 80); Jamie Finn (Abbie Larkin 46), Lily Agg, Denise O’Sullivan (Aoibheann Clancy 62), Megan Campbell (Chloe Mustaki 62); Áine O’Gorman, Katie McCabe; Amber Barrett (Kyra Carusa 62).
Morocco: Zouhair Assia; Mazrouai Rkia, Atiq Maryem, Yasmin Mrabet, Seghir Sabbah (Bouharat Ibtissam 76); Ouzraoui Diki Sakina (Jbilou Hajar 76), Nakkach Elodie Nahla, Daoudi Sana, Bouftini Sofia (Saoud Imane 61); Amani Salma; Belkasmi Anissa.
Referee: Jason Lee Barcelo (Gibraltar).