Farcical Ireland match suspended after torrential downpour

Farcical Ireland match suspended after torrential downpour

Ireland are in Albania for a UEFA Nations League fixture.

Very little football was played in the first half of Ireland’s Nations League fixture against Albania.

And no, it wasn’t because Vera Pauw was magically back in the dugout.

It was because Eileen Gleeson’s Girls in Green were forced to play through a torrential rainstorm which waterlogged the pitch so much that the ball hardly moved.

It’s Albania 0-0 Ireland at half-time in the most awful conditions imaginable.

Somehow, despite the extreme conditions, the referee opted against blowing up the contest at any stage during the half.

We thought the Irish Men’s foggy visit to Bosnia in 2015 would be the strangest weather to affect an Ireland match for many a year yet this evening we witnessed Katie McCabe and co. effectively playing water polo.

Sadly, they aren’t quite as talented at water polo as they are at the whole football thing.

When the two sides met last Friday in Tallaght, Ireland won 5-1 with McCabe scoring three and setting up another two.

This time, however, it is 0-0 at the break.

Decision to be made.

UPDATE: Officials have decided to suspend the match for an hour but RTE reporters at the stadium are certain we will not see it resume.

UPDATE: The game has resumed.

UPDATE: Ireland win thanks to a late goal from Denise O’Sullivan. They are therefore promoted to League A of the Nations League!