Physical and mental well-being has Saoirse Noonan primed for club and country

Ireland stars Ellen Molloy, Saoirse Noonan, and Áine O’Gorman in Abbotstown as Sky announced the five recipients of the first WNT Bursary Fund: Éabha O’Mahony, O’Gorman, Noonan, Molloy, and Grace Moloney. The funding will help further develop their careers and education off the pitch and reinforces Sky’s commitment to developing the women’s game. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

She had emerged from some dark corners during her comeback and Saoirse Noonan was anxious to avoid the original scene when finally on the pitch.

Six months on from sustaining a knee injury that stalled her progression into the English professional ranks, the Cork star admits to suffering flashbacks on her return.

Durham's training pitch at the local university is a tranquil, serene setting, yet a certain area initially proved out of bounds.

"It just felt like a barrier was there," explains the 23-year-old Ireland striker. "It was the first 7 v 7 training game and all the girls were telling me to relax.

"But when I carried the ball towards the section I'd got injured in last January, all I could think of was the set-back and having to go home.

"Instead of going in there to play a threatening ball across the box, I turned back and gave a simple pass. I was nervous but that's all gone now.

"I feel that I've been waiting so long to come back here that it's meant to be. I just can't wait for the first game of the season against Sunderland."

Noonan will be operating in a full-time, professional set-up by the time of that Championship opener on August 21.

Durham hadn't reached that status when she first committed to moving abroad from Irish champions Shelbourne, whom she'd been enticed to by her hometown club of Cork City.

Though they don't carry the brand power of other clubs in the Championship or the Super League tier above, Durham fits the bill for Noonan's career progression. This is what she aspired to when opting to concentrate solely on football, leaving behind the stellar GAA career she enjoyed at intercounty level for Cork.

"I didn't realise how successful Durham were when I first heard about them," she said about the independent outfit that finished sixth in a division Liverpool conquered.

"Durham are not Liverpool, Manchester United or Birmingham City that have their men's club behind them but they're never down the bottom of the table.

"They've always been challenging. None of us players came here for a big name but we're here to win.

"Two seasons ago, the team were able to finish runners-up when players were training in the evenings.

"Now, players and staff have gone full-time, all the facilities are there for us so there's no excuses this season.

"That change is good for me too because I didn't go straight into full-time when I arrived. I had gotten a taste of a professional set-up when on trial at West Ham United and there's not much difference at Durham. Just little things like washing our own kit and not having a big jacuzzi at the training ground but that's okay!"

Making waves on the pitch is of higher importance. Not just in the pursuit of promotion to what's regarded widely as the best women's league in the world but for pushing her way into the Ireland picture.

The Grange native was reinstated to Vera Pauw's squad following her lay-off for last month's trip to Georgia, a facile victory ticked off before the serious business of September 1.

Noonan is hoping she's banked sufficient minutes and goals to retain her place for the concluding double-header of the World Cup qualifiers. Their mission is straightforward insofar as victory over Finland at Tallaght will negate the need for points in Slovakia to cement a play-off spot. There was a communal interest in observing the Finns fall to three successive defeats at the recent Euros in England.

"We've all been in the WhatsApp group chat after watching every Finland's game," she said, refusing to absorb it as evidence of their rivals' demise.

"Just watching the Euros on TV makes us hungrier to qualify for this next tournament.

"My team-mate Sarah McFadden has just returned from representing Northern Ireland, saying it was the best experience of her career.

"We got a lot of work done in the training camp before the Georgia which will help because we've a short run-up to the Finland qualifier. We'll have a huge home crowd and hopefully I'll be part of it."