Liverpool forward Leanne Kiernan is one of three players to have withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland squad for their FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 qualifiers against Slovakia and Georgia later this month.
Kiernan was on target for The Reds in their 3-1 FA Women’s Championship victory over Sunderland at the Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground on Saturday evening but she is thought to be carrying a minor knock and will not report for international duty later this week.
The Republic of Ireland announced the withdrawal of Kiernan via an official press release earlier today. Glasgow City’s Claire Walsh and Wexford Youths’ Ellen Molloy are also out. Birmingham City forward Emily Whelan has replaced Kiernan in the Republic of Ireland squad while Shelbourne’s Jessie Stapleton and Celtic’s Isibeal Atkinson have also been called-up by head coach Vera Pauw.
Liverpool forward Kiernan has represented the Republic of Ireland on 22 occasions at senior international level while she has scored four goals. She was most recently in action for The Girls in Green as they went down 1-0 to Sweden in Dublin last month.
The Republic of Ireland face Slovakia on Thursday evening before taking on Georgia next Tuesday. Both games will take place at the Tallaght Stadium in Dublin.