Denise O'Sullivan has called for more Republic of Ireland matches to be played at Páirc Uí Chaoimh after an electric atmosphere powered the Girls in Green past France on Tuesday evening.

Ireland produced their best performance of the Euro 2025 qualifier campaign to turn over an admittedly much-changed French side who had already sealed qualification for next year's tournament in Switzerland.

The Girls in Green still have work to do. The win on Leeside ensured they pipped Poland to the last seeded spot for the play-offs, which begin in October. Eileen Gleeson's charges will face a League C team in the two-legged semi-finals and then, most likely, a League B side in the final should they get there. In both instances the second leg will be played on Irish soil.

That's the reward for gaining seeded status via the team's overall European Qualifier ranking, and it begs the question: will Ireland come back to Cork for one of those play-off fixtures?

The answer is a resounding yes if O'Sullivan has anything to do with it.

"I grew up in this city," she said. "The city has done a lot for me, so to play here in Cork is phenomenal. I think we should be playing here more often, (the games) should be a bit more spread out.

"The fans were amazing. There was 18,000 there but it sounded like there was a lot more because they just never stopped. It gave me a lot of energy, they've been fantastic.

"To do it in front of my family… my partner is over from America as well and it's his birthday, so to get a goal for him on his birthday was very special. I’m absolutely buzzing."

O'Sullivan was walking on air as she spoke to the media in the aftermath of a strong Irish showing. The pace of attacking duo Leanne Kiernan and Julie-Ann Russell emboldened her team to execute the sort of high-pressing gameplan they've been striving for.

It allowed O'Sullivan to get higher up the pitch and hurt the French; indeed, her excellent goal cracked the contest open and almost brought the house down as a raucous Páirc saluted one of their own.

"I'm buzzing," O'Sullivan laughed. "I’m a bit calmed down now but it was a laugh yeah. To score here in Cork, it was written in the stars. (Assistant coach) Colin Healy said it to me before the game, 'Denise you’re going to score tonight’. I said, ‘yeah I will’. We just both smiled and walked off.

"Yeah, unbelievable to do it in front of my family and more importantly beat a world-class team. Getting three points, it’s going to stand to us."

It hasn't been plain sailing for Ireland in Group 3 of League A; this was their only win in the six qualifiers and they still finished bottom. But it's such a massive confidence booster ahead of a crucial autumn and winter.

To scalp world No 2-ranked France, even if they were understrength, is a significant step forward. Now they'll try to bring this momentum into those do-or-die play-off clashes.

"It means a lot," O'Sullivan added. "To go through a campaign and lose every game is tough but we also had to be realistic about the teams that we’re coming up against, world-class teams. I think throughout the campaign we’ve grown a lot and improved, and I think this win was coming.

"I could feel a confidence in the dressing room today and a belief we could go out and win this game. I think we needed it and we now have that belief going in.

"We want to be going to the European Championship, that’s the goal. This team, I think, is ready for that step. It’s great that we’re seeded going into those playoffs. We’ll take what we can from this campaign, the learnings and improvements, and we’ll keep on pushing as a team."