Ephie Fitzgerald: Door is always open for Saoirse Noonan to return

Fitzgerald fully supports Noonan’s decision to focus exclusively on soccer

Mon, 15 Feb, 2021 - 17:29

Eoghan Cormican

Cork ladies football manager Ephie Fitzgerald has said Saoirse Noonan is always welcome to rejoin his panel but believes she has made the correct decision to focus solely on soccer for the season ahead.

Noonan, who was corner-forward on the Cork team that came up short in last December’s All-Ireland ladies football final, recently completed a move from Cork City to Shelbourne and has decided to park her inter-county career for the foreseeable future. The 21-year-old had been juggling both sports - at the top level - for the past three years.

Although sorry to see her depart, Fitzgerald fully supports Noonan’s decision to focus exclusively on soccer.

“She is trying to follow her dream and I'd be fully supportive of that. She wants to be a professional footballer. It is very difficult to do both and if she is to pursue a professional career, she has to focus now on giving Shelbourne her full commitment.

“I do think for her own sake it is best if she focuses on the one. It would be very difficult to form a professional career for yourself if you were trying to (do both),” said Fitzgerald, who brought Noonan into the Cork set-up during the 2018 All-Ireland championship.

“She certainly goes with my blessing. Obviously, we are disappointed to lose her, but I can understand completely where she is coming from. She is 21 and if she gets an opportunity maybe to go to England and make a professional career for herself, I'd be absolutely thrilled for her. But it is hard work and you are facing stiff competition there, so her focus has to be solely on soccer. I fully understand that.

“Last year, she was probably out five nights of the week. Soccer is a technical game so she needs to focus very much on that. The best of luck to her.

“If it doesn't work out for her, she can certainly come back back into us. There is no issue with that.”

Fitzgerald reckons the move to Dublin will help to improve the striker.

“She is going to Dublin, she'll be out of her comfort zone, which I think is good for her, as well. She'll be meeting new players and having new teammates. I hope it works out for her. She certainly has the skill levels to make it at that level.

“Women's soccer now in England is becoming very popular. All the major clubs have ladies' teams so hopefully she'll build an opportunity to make a good career for herself out of it because I think she deserves it for her commitment and her attitude is very, very good. She'll have our full support.”