Dual star Saoirse Noonan after an epic Cork weekend: 'My mam is good to me. She had the bath ready'

Noonan scored 1-2 in Cork ladies footballers win over Kerry, then both goals in Cork City's FAI Cup semi-final win

Saoirse Noonan of Cork celebrates after scoring a late point during the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship Round 2 match between Cork and Kerry at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, Kerry. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Saoirse Noonan isn’t getting much time to reflect on another extraordinary weekend. She rarely gets space to dwell.

Just off a Zoom lecture for her Business and Marketing course at CIT, there’s an advertising project to submit.

Today is recovery. But there’s always another training session, another game, another gearbag to pack.

On a heartening weekend for Cork sport, nobody was more central than her. Two wins, three goals, spread across a crunch ladies football clash with Kerry, and an FAI Cup semi-final with Treaty United.

She’s a bit weary now, but ready to do it all again next weekend.

“It was tough getting out of bed this morning. But I can’t complain, it’s easier when you’re winning.” 

On Saturday morning, she set off on the drive to Tralee at quarter to 11.

“We all have to drive separately at the moment. There’s no carpooling. I didn’t have the longest drive — some of the girls drove three, three and a half hours.

“A few of the girls who travel farthest met up after for a bit of socially distanced food. I came straight home, I just needed to get rested up. I got home around seven.

“The journey home alone probably helped — listen to a bit of music, relax. I was able to switch off, turn the batteries off. Once I got home it was all focus on Cork City from then on.

“I wouldn’t really be used to driving to games, so the legs were a bit tighter than usual when I got out of the car.

“But my mam is extremely good to me. She had the bath ready, she had the dinner ready. I put the feet up for the rest of the night and got loads of fluids in. There’s no secret really, just recover, look after yourself. Everyone knows their own body best.

“It’s mainly about being extremely organised. I’d my gear ready for Sunday on Thursday night. I had my two bags ready to go.

“I can enjoy what happened over the weekend today, but yesterday was focussing on Cork City and the day before was GAA.

“I went to soccer training Thursday and I focused a lot on my job, what I had to do for Sunday, make sure I knew my role, knew what we needed to do as a team.

“Once Friday morning came, the brain switches to the other sport.” 

Saoirse Noonan, Cork City celebrates her second goal against Treaty United during their Womens FAI cup semi-final at Curraheen, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

Switched on from the start, Noonan scored 1-2 in the three-point win over Kerry that means Cork face Cavan next Sunday for a place in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Next day, she reported to Bishopstown at 12.30 for City’s biggest game of the season so far.

“My legs were a bit sore, but when you have such a big game ahead of you, I didn't even think about it. I did an extra few stretches before the warmup but once I started warming up I felt as if I didn’t play a game the day before. Mind over matter, my mom always tells me.” 

On Saturday, she had slotted low to Kerry’s net within three minutes, on Sunday she had two within a quarter-hour, the first a cool, opportunist finish, the second a brave header that brought a clash of heads with the Treaty defender.

“I didn’t actually know if I had connected with the ball or not, until the girls were saying ‘you scored, you scored’. The pain went away fast then.” 

City now face Peamount in the FAI Cup final, with a dress rehearsal next Saturday. Noonan will be double-jobbing again ahead of Sunday’s drive to Birr for the Cavan clash, where only shock defeat will prevent Cork progressing.

That progress looked in jeopardy at half-time in Tralee, with Kerry a point up.

“When we went in at half-time we were a bit upset with ourselves. We train Wednesday, Friday and Sunday morning in Cloughduv in the wind and rain, all that training in little pods, and I think we just said, ‘we’ve 30 minutes to keep ourselves in championship or everything we trained for is out the window’. Thankfully we got the result.” 

There’s a squad announcement on the horizon too for the national team’s final European qualifier with Germany. Given her domestic form and the number of National League players afforded opportunities by Vera Pauw, Noonan’s name is constantly linked to a call.

“We can only hope. Competition is extremely high. There’s players abroad who aren’t even in the squad. I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing and that I do enough to get in there some day.” 

When she had wrapped up her contribution to an epic weekend for Cork, she caught the end of the footballers’ win over Kerry.

“I came in around 40 minutes in, got the exciting part. What a win. Never say never. It was incredible. Some day for the lads. I’m sure many people would have loved to go celebrate it but we’ll have to wait a little while.” 

She’d know all about putting celebrations on hold.