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

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

Saoirse Noonan with Cork manager Ephie Fitzgerald after winning the Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1 final in 2019. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

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.