Saoirse Noonan eager for elusive Aviva Stadium bow in Ireland green 

Saoirse Noonan during Ireland training on Tuesday. Pic: ©INPHO/Nick Elliott

Saoirse Noonan has graced Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Croke Park and Parkhead but representing Ireland at Lansdowne Road is the ambition that’s eluded her.

The Corkwoman is only 26 and that missing component of an illustrious career that began as a dual-code player for her native Leeside may be presented on Friday night.

Ireland’s meeting with Belgium (7pm) is the first leg of a playoff that can already be crucial to their pathway towards reaching the 2027 World Cup.

Beat the Red Flames over a tie that concludes in Leuven next Tuesday and they’ll guarantee entry into the playoff series regardless of how next year’s regulation qualifiers fare.

Carla Ward turned to Noonan in her search for goals in the last competitive match – the visit of Slovenia to Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in June – and while she delivered early, the single goal victory wasn’t enough to usurp the leaders for top spot.

That’s the reason why promotion back to League A, which they accomplished in 2023, must be navigated against the nation ranked seven places above them in FIFA’s standings.

Noonan did feature at the Aviva in City’s 2007 FAI Cup triumph but there’s a different dimension to lining out for Ireland.

The Celtic striker will tick off a lifelong dream once that’s afforded, having been an unused substitute in the women’s first game at the venue against Northern Ireland in September 2023.

“I’ve got good memories from winning the FAI Cup there so hopefully I get to make more memories,” she said in the build-up to Friday.

“It’s always been an ambition just to wear the Irish jersey. Tallaght was the home of the Ireland team for a while but the Aviva is the next step. It’ll be a great feeling.” 

It would also take her cap haul into double-figures. Noonan continues to spearhead Celtic’s strikeforce in her second season, her fourth goal in five appearances coming in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to neighbours Glasgow City.

They also lost to Rangers and the fact Hibernian lifted the title last season underlines the competitive nature of the Scottish league.

There’s been no Champions League exposure for Noonan this season and she admits the lure of England, where she operated previously in the Championship for Lewes, is on the horizon.

She doesn’t, however, believe it’s a move essential to shade the likes of Kyra Carusa, Amber Barrett, Abbie Larkin and Emily Murphy for a starting berth at international level.

“The quality of strikers in the squad is unbelievable,” she says, a reality that constricts FAI Cup final hero Kelly Brady to status of a training player this week.

“There’s players operating in leagues all over the world. Everyone wants to play in the English Super League and it's definitely an ambition of mine. But the thing for me is if I go down there I want to be playing every week and be scoring.

“I feel I’m in contention here because I'm doing my job by scoring. I definitely think that I want to test myself on the next level. Can I do the job on the international stage? If I can get minutes and goals against Belgium, that would be brilliant.” 

Nine caps in nine years is a meagre return for a player so prolific as she progressed through the ranks. With the World Cup qualifiers starting in February, this is her latest window to attain the tag of being a go-to player for caps and goals.

“I didn’t get too many opportunities for Ireland but I’ve taken most of them,” she states with a hint of determination.

“I definitely think I’ve done enough to play. To get back into this squad, I had to keep scoring and I’ve kept it consistent.

“Getting the goal earlier in the year against Slovenia gave me more of a drive and I’ve been scoring regularly.

“I don’t think being in Scotland affects me. They look at every player and what they need for their camps.

“Some players will be needed and unfortunately some won’t be. It comes down to different strengths. One of mine is definitely goalscoring.

“We know Scotland is lower than England and that’s where we all want to be but I’m playing week in, week out and scoring goals. I’m getting my job done.”