Marie Hourihan: I’m no ‘plastic paddy’

Marie Hourihan knew the stereotypical ‘plastic paddy’ banter from her Ireland teammates wouldn’t last long once they discovered her deep affinity to the country.

While the Manchester City goalkeeper only won her first cap a week short of his 30th birthday in March, her interest in declaring stretches back to Noel King’s term in charge.

Even after King left to become Ireland U21 boss in 2010, discussions with his successor Sue Ronan continued but it was only after Colin Bell took control earlier this year that Hourihan’s status was rubberstamped. All four of her grandparents were born in Ireland, her mother’s from Roscommon and her father’s parents in Cork, with men’s international Conor Hourihane a second cousin despite their surnames being spelt differently. Her broad base of connections still had to be set against a goalkeeping legend in her way.