A few days after Christmas, Niamh McEvoy will head back out to Australia to resume her career with Melbourne FC.
Last spring, McEvoy, along with her Dublin team-mate Sineád Goldrick, left Australia just shortly before the AFLW season was brought to an abrupt halt by Covid-19.
But before she embarks on a return journey to Oz, there is the matter of an All-Ireland senior final against Cork on Sunday next. The 30-year-old will be eyeing a fifth winner's medal, as she and her team-mates look to complete a Dublin four-timer on the biggest day of the year in ladies football.
Reflecting on her first stint in Melbourne, McEvoy spoke about the "Dublin GAA connection" with the Aussie club.
Speaking at a virtual press conference in advance of the showdown with Cork, she said: "It was a big decision for myself and Sineád to go in the first place. We're very invested here in this group of players, so in going over there we were hoping to do something special.
"It was disappointing not to finish the season but what I will say about Melbourne was that they were so good; they had our best interests at heart. They sent us home in advance of the finals, but I'm sure they would like to have kept their squad together.
"They cared just like Mick (Bohan) does, firstly about the players, and less so about the competitions. There is a huge level of respect between the management and players in Melbourne, so the similarities are there. And then there's the Dublin GAA connection with it being Jim Stynes' club.
"When we over there Brian Stynes (Jim's brother) was very good to us, he had us over at his house many times. In coming from a GAA background, some times the Australians don't understand things we do and Brian was very good in telling us that we should do this, that, or the other. One of things he told Sineád and myself is that if you make a mark you should play on."
Last year, 56,114 were in attendance at Croke Park on finals. It will be a much more silent GAA HQ in 2020, no that that is going bother McEvoy too much.
"It was exceptionally special for all of us to be involved in such great occasions for the sport over the last few years and crowds not being there has not taken away the championship feel for us," she admitted.
"We are all still trying to go out and give the best account of ourselves individually. I don't think there is any focus lost there. Some of us older girls are well used to playing in near empty stadiums.
"It's nothing to be worried about. Croke Park is the best surface, so we wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
Twenty-four hours before the ball is thrown in for the TG4 decider, the Dublin men's side will be looking to complete an All-Ireland six-timer when they take on Mayo at Croke Park. Niamh McEvoy will be an interested onlooker as her partner Dean Rock will be one of the key Dubs on view.
Obviously, a big weekend then.
"Actually I was just laughing when last week at their media night he was asked about me, so it just goes to show that ladies football has grown a bit over the last couple of years.
"It's always a chilled vibe, mostly on his side of things. He's a very laid back type of character and that's obviously good for me because it rubs off some of the time.
"We've been in this situation a lot of times over the last few years, but we're really enjoying it. Thankfully, we've been training on the same nights for the last couple of weeks which is nice. We're enjoying our football and enjoy each other as well."
