Caitlin Hayes: It is a dream come true to play for Ireland

Hayes will be looking to help Ireland make it six wins out of six in the UEFA Nations League when they take on the Hungary and Northern Ireland in the coming days.

DREAM COME TRUE: Caitlin Hayes poses for a portrait during a Republic of Ireland women media conference at their team hotel in Castlleknock, Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

This international break will bring back special memories for Caitlin Hayes.

Hungary were the opposition when the Celtic defender grabbed her first goal for the Republic of Ireland, but it was in the game against Northern Ireland when the 28-year-old’s dream came true.

“This is just a dream come true to be playing for this shirt,” says Hayes, who will be looking to help Ireland make it six wins out of six in the UEFA Nations League when they take on the Hungarians and Northern Irish again in the coming days.

“The best part, everyone thinks it’s scoring the goal (v Hungary) but to say your debut was at the Aviva Stadium, with your parents and best friends in the stadium, and making that eye contact like you inevitably do at a random point in the game or in the warm-up, I will never forget that moment and seeing the look on my dad’s face. It’s something far beyond scoring a goal.

“He cried at the national anthem because there was almost a realisation that I made it, at that moment,” adds Hayes, who is eligible for Ireland through her Offaly-born Grandfather James Hayes.

“I wanted to play for Celtic. I didn’t think about Ireland because I didn’t think I was good enough almost. Playing on the international stage was just a wild dream shall we say.

“And I always wanted to play for Celtic, I grew up in Celtic tops and when I got to Celtic, it was right I want the next step which is Ireland obviously. There is not really two better teams that go better hand in hand than Celtic and Ireland.

“It was that dream I was chasing for probably four years; people think I want to get into it just because of the World Cup but I wanted it for three years prior and this being the fourth. Thankfully I got the call from Eileen (Gleeson), and I’ve not looked back since.”