Stephanie Roche: Wonder strike no fluke

Stephanie Roche has insisted her wonder strike, which will be celebrated at Monday’s FIFA Ballon d’Or gala, was not a fluke.

The Republic of Ireland international is competing with World Cup goals from Robin van Persie and James Rodriguez for the Puskas Award, named after the great Hungarian Ferenc Puskas.

Her goal came on October 13, 2013, in front of a crowd of just 95 at Wexford’s Ferrycarrig Park, where to Roche’s delight the goal was caught on camera.

The jaw-dropping moment in Peamount’s green and black colours came when Roche collected a short cross from the right on her right instep, flicked it over bemused defender Laura Heffernan with her other boot and from 25 yards magicked up a left-footed missile of a volley that found the top right corner.

To prove the goal was not a once-in-a-lifetime effort, she repeated it on request for French TV cameras, during her time playing for ASPTT Albi.

“They asked me after training whether I’d try to replicate it and thankfully enough I was able to do it. I pulled it off a couple of times and people realised it wasn’t a fluke, which was nice. I did it on my second go,” Roche said.

The 25-year-old was named on a 10-player long-list by football’s world governing body FIFA in November 2014, learning of her nomination first on social media, before making the final cut.

It made her the first woman to feature on a Puskas Award final shortlist, and the first player from Ireland.