SYDNEY-BORN DEBORAH-ANNE De La Harpe has become the latest declaree for Vera Pauw’s Republic of Ireland ahead of July’s World Cup. 

22-year-old De La Harpe plays in Australia with top-flight side Sydney FC, and qualifies for Ireland through her mother Adele Wilson, who was born in Larne in Antrim. She contacted Vera Pauw last October to express her availability for Ireland, and set the process in motion. 

Primarily a wing-back who can play on either flank, she has previously represented Australia at at U20 and U23 level. 

The FAI hope De La Harpe will be cleared by Fifa to play in Wednesday’s friendly against China, as she has travelled from Australia to be part of the international squad currently training in Marbella. 

“Over the last few years I have definitely been thinking about it and finally got my passport: it took a while to finally get into my hands”, she said. 

“My Mum and her family were born in Ireland, I am the first generation of my family who wasn’t born in Ireland. I’ve visited since I was about 11 years old, it is very much like a second home to me, being able to spend solid blocks of time there.” 

De La Harpe is the third new recruit to the squad for the Marbella training camp, following Aoife Mannion and Marissa Sheva.