Whistleblower Sinead Farrelly to train with Ireland ahead of US friendlies

GREETINGS: Manager Vera Pauw, left, and Katie McCabe at the Ireland team hotel, Hilton Dublin Airport ahead of the flight to the USA for their international friendly double header against USA in Austin and St Louis. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Sinead Farrelly is set to train with the Ireland squad this week in Texas, just 18 months after being a prime mover in exposing endemic abuse within the American soccer scene.

Midfielder Farrelly, along with former Thorns teammate Mana Shim, blew the whistle on accusations of sexual coercion and harassment against then-Portland coach Paul Riley, who was promptly sacked despite his continual denials.

Their brave decision to go public prompted a litany of other complaints across the 12-club National Women’s Soccer League and an investigation led by former acting attorney general Sally Yates.

Her damning report found that verbal and emotional abuse, as well as sexual misconduct, had become systemic in the NWSL. By the conclusion of the season, according to the report: “Half of the league’s teams had parted ways with their coaches”.

Farrelly is only now rebuilding her career, having originally retired in 2015 at the age of just 25.

“It took me years away from the game to gain the awareness of how power imbalance works and to be able to tell people close to me what happened,” the now 33-year-old told The Athletic.

Farrelly recently initiated her return to the American top-flight by earning a contract with Gotham City, 12 months in duration with an option to extend, and featured for the first time in Sunday’s game against OL Reign.

The Pennsylvania native has represented US up to Under-23 level but is ready to throw her lot in with Ireland ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

Ironically, she could make her debut against her homeland on Saturday or next Tuesday if Vera Pauw feels her presence will improve her selection pool for the trip to Australia in July. By design anyway, the audition is restricted to behind closed doors.

“There is one player that we haven’t brought in because she hasn’t played for a while and only played friendlies,” Pauw said of the unnamed player last Friday when asked about further additions.

“She will come to train with us for three days in America and then we can assess her properly.” 

Pauw has made no apologies for embracing the explosion in interest of dual-eligible players since Amber Barrett’s golden moment in Hampden Park last October sealed a first tournament qualification.

In a repeat of the benefits gained from the men’s team ending their finals droughts 35 years ago, the emails and representations through intermediaries by prospective players has been incessant.

Pauw insists Aoife Mannion’s switch from England was already in train before Ireland’s watershed gained them global respect.

American Marissa Sheva and Australian Deborah-Anne De La Harpe both joined Mannion as the newcomers for the February trip to Marbella.

Sophie Whitehouse, the Lewes goalkeeper eligible for four nations, has also enlisted for these glamour friendlies stateside while Everton’s Megan Finnigan might have been already signed up were it not for the abundance of options Pauw has in her central-defensive position.

The more players emerge, the tighter the competition becomes for those central to Ireland’s qualification.

Lucy Quinn, herself a relatively late FAI recruit having played beach football for England, was only drafted into the panel for Monday’s flight to Texas after London native Lily Agg withdrew through injury.

Katie McCabe made a miraculous recovery from the foot injury that forced her out of Arsenal’s Champions League victory over Bayern Munich last Wednesday. Pain management and daily doses of ice combined to facilitate a goalscoring return in Sunday’s win over Manchester City that kept the Gunners within three points of leaders Manchester United with a game in hand.

McCabe will relinquish her captaincy just for one game on Saturday to allow Denise O’Sullivan crown her 100th cap with the armband against the world champions.

Ireland women’s squad for friendlies v USA

Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (Reading), Megan Walsh (Brighton & Hove Albion), Sophie Whitehouse (Lewes).

Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Jessie Stapleton (Shelbourne), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Aoife Mannion (Manchester United), Diane Caldwell (Reading), Claire O’Riordan (Celtic), Hayley Nolan (London City Lionesses), Tara O’Hanlon (Peamount United), Áine O’Gorman (Shamrock Rovers).

Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Ruesha Littlejohn (Aston Villa), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Ciara Grant (Hearts), Roma McLaughlin (Fortuna Hjorring).

Forwards: Heather Payne (Florida State University), Abbie Larkin (Shamrock Rovers), Amber Barrett (Potsdam Turbine), Kyra Carusa (London City Lionesses), Marissa Sheva (Washington Spirit), Alannah McEvoy (Shamrock Rovers).

Fixtures

Saturday, April 8: USA v Ireland, Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas, 7.30 (Irish Time), RTÉ 2.

Tuesday, April 11: USA v Republic of Ireland, 12.30am, CITYPARK, St Louis, Missouri, RTÉ 2