Elsie Friel helps Ireland Women into Cerebral Palsy World Cup semis
Ireland will face host country USA in the semi-final on Wednesday as they look to win another medal at just the second installation of the Women’s Cerebral Palsy World Cup
Elsie Friel has played an important role in helping the Republic of Ireland Women’s Cerebral Palsy team into the semi-finals at the 2026 World Cup in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Drumkeen native was named in the ten-player squad coached by FAI Women & Girls' Lead Aisling Conway for the World Cup, as they lost their opener heavily to current holders and favourites Australia.
But a 3-2 win over the Netherlands on Saturday, in which the former Loreto Letterkenny student played the full game, gave them hope in qualifying for the final four thanks to an Eva Walsh hat-trick.
And the 18-year-old played over 50 minutes in that group decider against Colombia, as Walsh hit a brace and Katie Finnegan also scored in a 3-0 win.
They will now play hosts USA in the semi-finals on Wednesday, with the winners facing Australia or Finland in the final, while the losing side will meet the losing pair of the other semis in hopes of winning the bronze medal.
In 2024, Friel helped Ireland win the bronze medal at the last IFCPF World Cup in Spain in 2024, in their first-ever World Cup involvement, and is one of seven players from that squad involved once again.
Finn Harps WU17 coach Thomas Hughes is coach for the men’s team for the competition, which is being run at the same time.
Led by FAI Coach Development Lead Paul Smyth, they lost their opener 3-2 to Indonesia last Thursday, before a first win over Japan on Friday by the same scoreline, with Darryl Fay and Dillon Sheridan levelling the game at 2-2, but a brilliant goal from Eric O’Flaherty sealed the win. However, a 7-0 defeat to England in their final game on Sunday saw them finish third in the group and bow out.