New Ireland goalscoring hero Lucy Quinn starred on the beach for England - as a keeper
Lucy Quinn playing in goal for the England team that won the 2017 European Beach Football Championship. Pic via Instagram @lucyjquinn
From representing England as a Beach Soccer goalkeeper to leading Ireland’s attack, Lucy Quinn has had an unusual international career.
The Birmingham City striker made an instant impact on her first involvement for Ireland on Tuesday night, firing the opener of a 3-2 win against Australia. The friendly victory was the first time since 1991 that Ireland had beaten a nation of such lofty seeding.
Quinn’s journey to becoming an Ireland international began five years ago when the Southampton native tried to ratify her eligibility through her Sligo roots.
While the wait dragged on, she represented Great Britain at the World University Games and England on the sandy beaches of Portugal — both in 2017.
Then Ireland manager Colin Bell feared that her participation in the latter format — the European Championships in which England wore the official Nike kit with Three Lions badge — would block her route.
But, despite her playing a leading part in their triumph, winning goalkeeper of the tournament along the way, she wasn’t debarred from eventually declaring for Vera Pauw’s side.
“I have clearance from the English FA to say that I never represented them competitively,” the newcomer said after making her Ireland bow.
“That added a bit of extra time to the process of getting my first Ireland cap but the Beach Soccer Euros wasn't a Fifa-affiliated tournament.
“Beach soccer is a different sport and England has a men’s team but it wasn’t official really.”
Quinn joined Birmingham City just weeks after dazzling on the sands, spending two years with the Midlanders before Tottenham Hotspur swooped. She scored against West Ham United in front of 25,000 fans at the club’s rebuilt White Hart Lane stadium.
Now she’s back at Birmingham alongside five Irish players — Harriet Scott, Louise Quinn, Jamie Finn, Eleanor Ryan-Doyle and Emily Whelan.
“This has been a really long process but something I always wanted to do,” she added about navigating the eligibility minefield.
“It took a long time trying to get hold of family records. It’s not always easy, and then with Brexit and Covid, there were speed bumps on the way. To even just be in this camp, I was happy to make my family proud.”
Quinn’s arrival is opportune. The three goals Ireland scored against the team ranked 11 in the world matched the total they’d managed in the previous seven outings.
The real business of World Cup qualifiers starts next month, with top seeds Sweden coming to Tallaght on October 21.
Finland, whom they face four days later at Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium, have been identified by Pauw as the team Ireland are realistically chasing for second spot and a playoff for the 2023 World Cup.
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