It's a familiar feeling for Leah Doyle as the excitement builds towards the 2023 Sports Direct Women’s FAI Cup Final on Sunday.
After being an unused sub for the 2021 showpiece, Doyle was part of the Reds side that defeated Athlone Town in last year’s decider, so the size of the occasion won’t be lost on her when the same two clubs line out at Tallaght Stadium once again.
"It's completely different to any other game we have," the 22-year-old told RTÉ Sport.
"The whole build-up, even down to the time you have to be out on the pitch, everything is very precise and it definitely took some getting used to.
"There's a lot of emotion to it, even standing out in front, you're waiting for the President to come up and looking into a crowd that we don't get at any other game.
"It is really special and it is quite emotional to hear the anthem playing when you're standing there with your teammates that you've been through everything with."
Doyle is the epitome of a team player, often being asked by Shelbourne manager Noel King to forego her usual position at left full-back to play more centrally.
In her early days in handball, (she is a former world under-18 doubles champion) she had to have more of an individual mindset, but she feels the mental fortitude gained from this has been carried over to her soccer career.
"I think the mental strength of it all," says Doyle. "In handball you’re obviously by yourself, so if you’re down you have to be able to pick yourself back up. Luckily in football if I’m down, I have Pearl (Slattery) right beside me, I have the girls to pick me up but there is that extra strength that can come over.
Silverware is the aim for Sunday but there will be a bittersweet element to the day, as King takes charge of his final game for Shels.
During his three-year spell, King has led the club to two SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division titles, and a league and cup double last year.
He is someone who Doyle feels grateful towards, as he oversaw her breakthrough into the first team.
"I think he has just instilled so much confidence in the players," she says of the former Ireland women's team manager.
"He always tells us before a match, 'Go out and make mistakes, if you don't make a mistake you're coming off'.
"So I think that's been something so different because usually if you make mistakes in this game you're nearly getting ate. It's been so nice, we can play with a lot of freedom and we can just trust ourselves, trust each other, and yeah, I think he's brought something special to us.
"He gave me my breakthrough, he was the first Shels manager to trust me which I don't know was a good or bad thing (laughs).
"He's been amazing, he's always just told you to go out and play the game. He picks you for the player you are, he's not picking you because he wants you to do what he wants.
"He sees something in you and tells you to go with that, to play to your strengths and work hard. That's all he wants, just work hard."
The opposite dugout on Sunday will contain another manager with whom Doyle is familiar, as Athlone boss Ciarán Kilduff coaches her at university level with Maynooth.
That relationship will be put aside on Sunday though, even if Doyle remains grateful for Athlone’s 4-4 draw with Shamrock Rovers last weekend that helped secure a league runners-up spot for Shels.
"For 90 minutes we'll probably be roaring at each other," laughs Doyle when asked how she and Kilduff will greet each other on Sunday.
"There’s been the odd comment, not too much because we’ve obviously had the games at the weekend. They actually saved us at the weekend, got us that second spot, so he was my bestie last week! They’ll be separating us at college training I’d say."
"Come Sunday you just have to get yourself into that mindset of, 'I don’t know these people, and they’re trying to take what’s mine.'"
Over 5,000 people were at Tallaght Stadium to watch Shelbourne win last year’s final 2-0, and while there was a much larger attendance at the recent men’s final between Bohemians and St Patrick’s Athletic at the Aviva Stadium, Doyle is hoping the same kind of atmosphere can be created in the smaller surrounds.
"I was actually in at the men’s game," she says. "It was deadly. To see all the flares, the colour on the pitch, it’s different to what we get but it has picked up a lot.
"Even last year you looked into the crowd and it was just red. We have a loud bunch but we wouldn’t change it. We think it’s class and I think it’s what the women’s game needs. No harm in a bit of noise I’d say."
It will be the same venue and the same opposition on Sunday and Doyle hopes that it will be the same result to go with that, even if there will be a few new faces in the starting line-ups.
"The teams have changed so much, it’s the same clubs but it’s almost completely different teams," says Doyle,
"I think last year, we just have to leave that in last year. They have new managers in who have a really good record but I think we can take a lot of confidence.
"I think we’re one of the only teams that's beaten them since they’ve come in. We’re just going to focus on doing our best and working 100% for each other."
Watch the Women's FAI Cup final, Athlone Town v Shelbourne, on Sunday from 2.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live radio commentary on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.
Watch Norway Under-21 vs Republic of Ireland Under-21 in Euro 2025 qualifying on Friday from 4.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player and follow a live blog on www.rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app
Watch the Netherlands v Republic of Ireland on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player this Saturday from 7pm, follow a live blog on www.rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to commentary on RTÉ 2fm.
