NIAMH FAHEY IS yet to decide on her Republic of Ireland future.
The oldest member of the Girls In Green’s World Cup squad at 35, Fahey had an impressive individual campaign Down Under.
The Liverpool captain recently signed a new deal to remain at the WSL outfit for another season, but international football is a different story
Asked whether she would be involved for September’s historic Nations League showdown against Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium after Ireland’s first-ever major tournament came to a close, the defender said:
“I haven’t made a decision. If it’s my last game and I go out like that, I’m happy enough.
“I haven’t even thought about it to be honest. I’ll go home and enjoy the tournament, look back on it and when the time is right, have a good think about it. Just really enjoyed the experience and all the rest of the girls, we gave it absolutely everything and we left it all behind. We have to be proud of the effort.”
“I’ve always said my drive is to play international football,” she added. “It’s my biggest passion. It’s a huge reason why I’ve continued to play professionally with a club every year, to get to a major tournament. That’s been a driving force. We’ll see, I haven’t made up my mind. But like I said, if I go out now, I don’t think there is a better way to go out.
“Two years [until Euro 2025] feels like a long time when you put it like that. I’m just proud of what I’ve been able to do and been able to achieve.”
Áine O’Gorman, Diane Caldwell (both 34) and Louise Quinn (33) are among the older guard of Vera Pauw’s current crop. Whether they — and the manager — remain in situ moving into the next campaign remains to be seen.
Sinéad Farrelly is also 33, though all but confirmed she will continue in the green jersey as her remarkable story continues.
Galway native Fahey, an All-Ireland winner in 2004, sees a bright future for the team regardless of her own involvement.
“The girls that are coming through: Abbie [Larkin], Leanne Kiernan, Jessie Stapleton, you’ve got so many to come back in as well. Jess Ziu as well. Their future is so bright, young girls as well making big moves over to England. It’s brilliant. Katie [McCabe] right at the top of her game as well, Denise [O'Sullivan], you’ve got solid spine.
“The future is very bright.”
And to reflect on the immediate past.
How does Fahey sum up the World Cup, in which Ireland suffered narrow defeats to Australia (1-0) and Canada (2-1) and drew with Nigeria (0-0)?
“It’s hard to say. Ultimately we’ve played well in all the games, there has been nothing in any of the games, maybe a little bit of luck at the end of the day, it’s been so tight. I don’t think you can ask for an awful lot more. Two top-ten sides and Nigeria who have now progressed, It just shows how tough the group actually was and how competitive we were throughout the whole thing.
“It’s been unbelievable, it’s been amazing, I’ve never played in front of that size crowd before in the Irish jersey, the support was phenomenal, it kept us going at times. I’ve never experienced anything like it and I can just thank everyone who cheered us on from near and far, it’s been exceptional.”