Croatian group hosts raced into a 3-0 lead in only 17 minutes, through Leonarda Balog, a Maja Jošcak penalty and Martina Šalek.

The Republic of Ireland champions began their fightback with two goals in as many minutes. Sonya Hughes's 56th-minute free-kick was quickly followed by a second by Sandra Mulhall. 

Hughes levelled the game with another free-kick on 67 minutes, Kelly Jones (on loan from Liverpool, along with Cheryl Foster) put them ahead with 13 minutes to go, with Aoifie Herbert making sure of an amazing turnaround, with the fifth goal in stoppage-time.

Although the win saw them finish second in the group, they were not one of the best runners-up to go through to the last 32, losing out on goal-difference.

St. Francis, Head Coach Breifne Earley, told fai.ie; "We had watched the video of the Croatians against the Russians and against the Portuguese earlier in the week, and we expected them to come out of the traps early in the game, we had discussed the possibility of having to come back from behind to win the game."

"The girls had a good talk at the break, and full credit must go to the team, some of the players really stood up to the mark and produced outstanding performances in the second period."

"It's hard to take that we finish second in the group and are eliminated, but I suppose we knew that was a possibility coming over here. We knew from last year that the Russians were outstanding, but fancied our chances of taking a scalp off the other two sides, to go home with two victories and having scored nine goals is a first for any Irish side at this level."

Sonya Hughes added; "We always believed that we could come back into the game. We knew that we could expose them with our pace and quick passing, and it was just a matter of time before we managed to get on the score sheet.

"We knew if we could get one, they wouldn't be able to get their heads back on the game, and that the possibility of more goals was always there."