'New chapter': Farrelly and Ireland looking to put distractions in rear-view

'Flying to Australia is just like starting a new chapter for us. We can leave everything behind and focus on the next few weeks,' Farrelly insisted.

FAREWELL: Republic of Ireland players, from left, Courtney Brosnan, Sinead Farrelly, Marissa Sheva and Heather Payne, with Harry Byrne, age 5 weeks, from Dublin city, at Dublin Airport ahead of the Republic of Ireland's flight to Australia. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Different continents and time-zones won’t derail the controversy following Vera Pauw around the world, as Sinead Farrelly acknowledges.

World Cup fever is finally setting in with the squad flying to Brisbane after Thursday’s final official friendly, the 3-0 defeat to France at Tallaght.

As much as Pauw has vowed to restrict her musings to the business of football, she’ll have no control over what awaits from an Australian media renowned for persisting with uncomfortable subjects.

England cricketer Ben Stokes this week shipped a dose of their trademark sarcasm by having a soother superimposed into his mouth in a frontpage splash amid the Ashes series.

Off-season in the club calendar and the completion of senior internationals last month affords the women’s showpiece a clear run at dominating the football news cycle.

The appearance of Pauw’s pre-match press conference on Sky Sports News and BBC in midweek reaffirmed her status as a major World Cup storyline before she even arrived Down Under.

Farrelly knows all about the emergence of American-based players speaking out, herself and Mana Shim, two years ago, were the prime movers in blowing open the lid of coercion and harassment that has sent shockwaves through the National Women’s Soccer League.

Historical allegations of controlling behaviour and weight shaming from her time at Houston Dash continue to shadow Pauw.

The past week has seen the matter resurface through The Athletic and, despite her vehement denials of wrongdoing and determination to dispel the cloud by parking the issue, even the players are aware that’s impossible.

“Where everyone is at now, we are all just focused on the football at this moment, everything else just needs to wait,” said the midfielder, who became an instant first-choice when switching from her homeland to face them in the April friendly.

“Everyone is doing their best to focus on the month ahead and not let anything get in the way of that.” 

 Asked if that’s an easy task, the 33-year-old drew on her personal experience. She said: “It's both. It can be difficult. A lot of us know how to compartmentalise; we have dealt with these things before (but) something like the World Cup is the biggest thing this team has done up to this point, so it's easy in that regard.

Manager Vera Pauw at Dublin Airport. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

“This is a huge thing and we need to focus on that. But it's always hard not to let the distractions in.

“Flying to Australia is just like starting a new chapter for us. We can leave everything behind and focus on the next few weeks.” 

 While captain Katie McCabe was the chief injury concern, there was also worry when Farrelly was substituted too after receiving treatment.

Not so, she emphasised, merely the routines that accompany a comeback to professional level following a seven-year sabbatical.

“I hope that's the case,” she says when Pauw’s confidence about the NY/NY Gotham playmaker being sufficiently fit to start the opening two games against Australia next Thursday and Canada six days later.

“When your body gives up, there's nothing you can do about it.

“I would love to be able to do that, I have done that with my club back home so I know it's possible, it's just about doing it here.

“It was tiring out there against France as they move so much and so quickly, so it was about adjusting to this Ireland team - figuring out positionally where we all need to be.

“I was cramping there with 10 minutes left - nothing serious - for me that's just pumping electrolytes.” And so the tunnel vision begins.

Brisbane becomes Ireland’s temporary home for the next 10 days, the venue of their final group game against Nigeria on July but before then also where they meet Colombia in a behind-closed-doors uncapped match next Friday.

“Wednesday was the first day we didn't have something going to meet like the Government or a media day,” she admitted about the demands of a first-ever major tournament.

“It's been a lot. I think getting in our bubble and working on what we need to work on with no distractions will be good.” That’s easier said than done in the current environment.