HEARTBROKEN Katie McCabe hailed her Ireland teammates as heroes.
The Girls in Green will be going home from the World Cup next week after their elimination was confirmed by today’s 2-1 loss to Canada.
Katie McCabe hailed her Ireland teammates as heroes.Sportsfile
Ireland have exited the World Cup after losing 2-1 to CanadaSportsfile
Katie McCabe scored Ireland’s first-ever Women’s World Cup goalSportsfile
But captain McCabe insisted Ireland will bow out of the tournament with their heads held high after giving Australia and Canada scares.
She said: “We’re heartbroken about the result. What I am is very proud of the team and how we performed and how we gave it everything right until the very end.
“My message was mostly how proud I was of each and every single player and staff member because of the journey we’ve all been on to get here.
“We showed at times we’re standing toe to toe with some of the best in the world. We want to get used to that.”
Ireland led early when McCabe scored direct from a corner after four minutes, but an unlucky own goal just before half-time by Megan Connolly, and an early Adriana Leon strike in the second half made a difference.
McCabe continued: “I thought we started the game really well, lots of energy and obviously it was disappointing to concede the goal so close to half-time.
“We didn’t let it get our heads down. We still started the second half with energy. Obviously we’re bitterly disappointed to lose the game.”
The Arsenal star will now go down in history as Ireland’s first goal scorer at the Women’s World Cup, when she scored direct from a corner after four minutes.
She added: “It was bittersweet because we lost the game. I would have taken a point tonight (instead of the goal) for sure.
“I’m absolutely gutted, heartbroken for the girls. I felt like we deserved something more from the game, we gave it absolutely everything and it just wasn’t meant to be.”
But she insisted that Ireland’s World Cup odyssey should be the platform for bigger and better things, and will inspire kids at home.
She declared: “For myself and each and every player in my team, the reason we started playing football was because of the love we have for the game and the smile it brings to our faces, the people you meet along the way, the teammates you have, and creating special moments like this.
“This is our first ever major tournament and I know for a fact, given those performances we put in, it won’t be our last.
“I want young girls and young boys in Ireland to dream and look up to us, because it could be them one day sitting here, playing and representing their country.
“I’m so proud and honoured to be able to lead the team to our first ever major tournament.
“For us yeah it was about creating history getting here but it’s also about leaving a legacy behind as well.
“We’ve given those girls and boys in Ireland the chance to dream and be like us one day. I hope we’ve done them proud, I hope we’ve done the nation proud.”