The one that got away - Aussie star Mary Fowler relishing Irish clash at World Cup

IRISH ROOTS: Mary Fowler of Australia during the women's international friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Australia at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Australian sensation Mary Fowler admits she was tempted to declare for Ireland, whom she’ll be facing in their Women’s World Cup opener in Sydney on July 20.

Fowler’s Dad Kevin was born in Ballymun and while her two siblings were part of Irish underage camps, Mary opted to stick with the Matildas when the offer to defect was tabled.

The attacking midfielder is just 20 but has experienced plenty in her career, being the youngest of all 552 players at the last World Cup and moving from French side Montpellier to Manchester City last year.

Described by her legendary teammate Sam Kerr as unbelievable, Fowler is set to shine at this summer’s World Cup but it could have been in the colours of Ireland had either Colin Bell and Vera Pauw succeeded in convincing her to switch allegiance.

“I think when you have the option to play for multiple nations, you do think about it because it's a decision that will live with you for the rest of your career,” she said in an interview with FIFA, building up the group opener at the Olympic Stadium, a fixture already assured of being an 82,000 sell-out.

“It’s smart, I think, to weigh up your options. So, yeah, there were moments when I thought about it. But I felt very strongly connected to Australia because it's where I was born, I have my friends there, I grew up there. So Australia ended up being the obvious choice. But I do feel very connected to both my parents' backgrounds, and I don’t see myself as just an Australian. I see myself as Papuan and Irish too.” 

Fowler played and scored against Ireland when the teams met in a friendly at Tallaght 20 months ago. That gave her an opportunity to see her Grandad Kevin again and naturally being drawn against Ireland, as well as Canada and Nigeria, in the group phase, rekindled memories.

Mary Fowler of Australia with her grandfather Kevin Fowler, from Ballymun, Dublin, following the women's international friendly match between Republic of Ireland and Australia at Tallaght Stadium. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

“I was really excited when that draw came out,” she admits.

“I was actually hoping we’d get Ireland. For me, it's such a special opportunity because I do feel very connected to my Irish heritage, just as I do to my Papuan heritage (Fowler’s mother hails from Papua New Guinea). I know my family will be cheering for me and that my Irish family will be cheering for Ireland and me! [laughs] Whoever wins, they’ll be happy. But, yeah, I think it's going to be a really exciting opening game, a great, fun atmosphere, and from what I hear the ticket sales for it have gone wild.” 

Living in the UK has also facilitated visits to Ballymun.

She said: “It’s just made it so much easier to visit my grandad because I can now go over there and come back the same day. It’s nice to be so close now, to have that easy connection to my heritage and a side of my family that it had been quite hard to see in person.”