Classy Anne O’Brien passes away in Italy, aged 60

One of Ireland’s most decorated footballers passed away yesterday in Rome, aged 60, after a short illness.

Anne O’Brien, from Inchicore, won six Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia medals and three French titles in a long career that stretched from the late 1960s to 1994, including spells at Reims in France and Lazio, Napoli, Reggiana and Milan in Italy.

Former team-mate Carolina Morace — Italian international and one of the greatest players to grace the women’s game — named O’Brien, an elegant playmaker who supplied many of Morace’s goals, as one of the best players to ever play in Italy. O’Brien’s talents were first spotted in 1973 when she was part of an Ireland selection that took on touring French side Stade Reims at St James’s Park greyhound track in Kilkenny.