Saoirse Noonan aiming to revive Ireland career at packed Aviva

The Cork native was a peripheral figure under Vera Pauw but the springboard exists under caretaker boss Eileen Gleeson to lay claim to a starting berth in attack.

NEW DAWN: Saoirse Noonan back in the Ireland squad. Pic Credit ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Any fears of Saoirse Noonan being daunted by the occasion of a record crowd for Ireland’s women on Saturday can be allayed by her trove of GAA memories.

“I’ve heard there will be a crowd of 30,000 there,” the Corkwoman said of the Nations League opener against Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.

“You can see that soccer is going up and up with the attendances but I’ve previously played in front of big crowds at Croke Park.”

There was no stage-fright endured by Noonan when she stepped up in front of 51,000 for the Ladies All-Ireland final against Dublin in 2018.

For numerous reasons, Saturday is a new dawn for Irish football and reviving her international career in the national stadium before an expectant turnout is music to the Durham striker’s ears.

“Everyone is more excited than anything,” she said as the long wait for the FAI applying equality in terms of stadium access ends.

“Half of our squad just played in front of 76,000 at the World Cup in Australia and others like myself know what it’s like to be involved in big games.

“I think everyone is just going to soak in the experience more than anything. They are not going to let it affect them. It’s where you want to be as an athlete - the highest level of the game.”

Saoirse Noonan during a Republic of Ireland women training session at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown, Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

That’s what the former Douglas Hall player had aimed for when ditching her dual-code status. GAA undoubtedly aided her ascent through the various grades, skills she’s maintained in the soccer sphere, and she’s now the best part of three years operating in the English system.

Although her first year at Durham was scotched by injury, the 24-year-old has since settled into the environment, both on and off the pitch.

Funding of the women’s Super League, and indirectly from England’s Euro triumph last year, has permeated into the English Championship.

Durham are one of the few clubs without an equivalent men’s team in the Football League but are holding their own, finishing seventh last year and sitting fifth four games into this season.

Her involvement with the Ireland squad right up to the final 26 being picked in early July meant little break for Noonan.

She was back in pre-season training a week later but watching proceedings in Australia from afar.

“I made some of the English girls throw on Irish jerseys!,” she revealed about the early morning watch parties in the north-east.

“It was difficult but when I saw the girls singing the national anthem I had goosebumps and it brought a tear to my eye.

“I was just so happy for the girls, seeing the huge crowds and knowing the journey that everyone had made. For myself, obviously I would love to have been there. Who wouldn’t?

"But the focus was trying to get back into this camp and I’m absolutely delighted to be here.”

Noonan was always a peripheral figure under Vera Pauw but the springboard exists under caretaker boss Eileen Gleeson to lay claim to a starting berth in attack.

Pauw’s first-choice striker at the World Cup, Kyra Carusa, operated at the same club level last season. Her physicality and power offer a different dynamic for this series, which includes a trip to Hungary next Tuesday.

First there’s history to be made. The last time Noonan played at Lansdowne Road, she helped Cork City to a famous FAI Cup triumph.

That victory in 2017 was followed by the men’s team completing the double a few hours later but there’s only one show in town this weekend.

“Supporters only started arriving before the end of our match because they travelled to watch the men’s team,” she recalls of the atmosphere six years ago.

“At the same time, we were just privileged to be there. The sport wasn’t growing as quickly then as it is now.

“Looking around on Saturday seeing all the people who’ve bought tickets to give up their Saturday to watch the women’s team playing in the Aviva is a statement.

“You won’t see a a crowd coming in at the end of the game this time. We owe it to say thank you to everyone by putting on a good performance.”

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