On the verge of her 50th cap, Heather Payne nearing senior status in Ireland camp

Heather Payne can win her 50th cap against Turkey on Friday, she has eyes on reaching 100.

Heather Payne during a Republic of Ireland women's media day at FAI Headquarters in Abbotstown, Dublin. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

To be still perceived as a young player at 25 on the verge of her 50th cap is something Heather Payne can live with.

Since making her Ireland debut as a 17-year-old, the girl from Ballinasloe has featured at the World Cup and become a Women’s Super League regular with Everton.

Maybe it’s her softly-spoken nature but declaring the right-sided player as a senior figure in the squad amid a raft of retirements is taking getting used to.

That will be her status when Ireland face Turkey on Friday. She has designs on joining the coterie of centurions, a realistic aim considering her age and quality.

“I came in young and have been in the team for years now,” Payne said.

“Everyone sees me as that young player. I like to say I feel I’ve contributed. I‘ve been in that same role for a while now.

“I’ll feel really proud to reach 50 but I’ll just think of Turkey as another game, to be honest.

“Still, I don’t want to just stop at 50. There’s some players in the squad who’ve reached 100 caps and it would be brilliant if I could achieve that.”

During the successful qualifying campaign for the 2023 World Cup, her role began as the sole striker pressing and harrying. That had morphed into wing-back by the time they reached Australia and her threat from that area is the reason why Everton enlisted her after shining on the global stage.

She spent a trial on the red half of Merseyside, working with Ireland’s new assistant coach Amber Whiteley, but is settled with the Toffees.

There she linked up with Ireland colleague Courtney Brosnan and the contrasting demeanours of the duo were evident on Sunday when a controversial Lauren James goal denied them a draw against six-in-a-row chasing Chelsea.

Whereas Brosnan raced from her goal to demand it be disallowed for a foul in the build-up, Payne was more philosophical in the aftermath.

She’s not using the injustice as a reason to plead for VAR to be extended from the men’s game.

“There was a little bit of anger and disappointment,” said the Galwegian.

“When the game is like that, things get heated and your emotions are on a high.

“We went 1-0 up so to concede in the last minute is devastating. Everyone is going into the international break so at least we have that to get over it.

“From losing 4-1 in the FA Cup the previous week to 2-1, it shows in a week how much we progressed.

“VAR is a huge thing in the men’s game but I’m not sure if we have the grounds to facilitate that now in the women’s.

“Some decisions go for you that you didn’t deserve, and some go against you, so I feel it all kind of evens itself out.”

She’ll hope the influence of a home crowd in their new 53,000-seater Bramley Dock stadium is a factor too. Everton began pilot events this week with a youth match and the women will be granted access when it opens fully for the start of next season.

“I live in the city, so I’ve been looking at the magnificent stadium being built.

“We’ve always played the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park so we’ll get opportunities in the new stadium.

“Over the past couple of months, we’ve really progressed as a team. Beating Manchester City in December was a shock to a lot of people and we drew with Arsenal.

“Against Chelsea we were hoping not to get that result. You could see we’re getting better and better - just unlucky in the end.”

Friday, 7.30pm: Uefa Women’s Nations League B, Ireland v Turkey, Tallaght Stadium.