Carroll plunders first international goals

Multi-talented Clare woman Naomi Carroll announced her arrival as an international goalscorer by bagging her first two strikes in a senior Irish jersey in today’s 3-1 win over Wales.

That victory added to the 4-0 and 2-0 wins in previous days to give Ireland a series whitewash, while another newcomer, Katie Mullan, hit her maiden international strike to seal the deal in the second half. Catholic Institute starlet Carroll — who helped Clare’s ladies footballers into an All-Ireland semi-final earlier this month and is also a county star in camogie — and Mullan were among nine players who made their Irish debuts this weekend. The others were Mullan’s new UCD team-mates Sarah Greene, Nicola Gray and Leah Ewart, Leeds Met goalkeeper Sammy-Jo Greer, Railway Union’s Zara Delany and keeper Grace O’Flanagan, plus Loreto midfielder schemer Ali Meeke. Carroll, who will turn 20 next month, forced home the first after a goalmouth scramble before being teed up by Watkins for number two and was Ireland’s liveliest forward, intercepting the Welsh backs regularly to create her own chances, but the hat-trick wouldn’t come. The performances of the newbies has helped give interim coach Denis Pritchard some food for thought ahead of the series against Scotland on September 7-9, and the Champions Challenge I in Dublin later that month. Pritchard will also be pleased with the drag-flicking form of his former UCC protégé Audrey O’Flynn, who struck three times in the first two games against the Welsh. Her two drag-flicks – sandwhiched by a dipping Sinead McCarthy short corner bullet and one from Chloe Watkins – helped an Ireland side littered with debutants win 4-0 on Friday night. Some of the more experienced players returned for Saturday’s encounter, a 2-0 success prompted by another O’Flynn flick and a Nikki Evans strike. Women’s International Series, UCD: Ireland 4 (A O’Flynn 2, S McCarthy, C Watkins) Wales 0, Ireland 2 (A O’Flynn, N Evans) Wales 0, Ireland 3 (N Carroll 2, K Mullan) Wales 1 (P Richards).