Tyler Toland is an old head on young shoulders.
The Donegal native is still only 22, but her career has been a wild ride of highs and lows; her dizzying early promise being derailed by a public falling out.
Toland endured a four-year international exile following a messy spat involving Vera Pauw, Toland and Toland's father Maurice.
She didn't get a single minute of action during the Pauw era, but a return to the fold under Eileen Gleeson last September, soon after she moved to Blackburn Rovers from Spanish side Levante, has been a turning point.
Toland is very likely to start for Ireland in Friday’s Euro 2025 qualifier away to France having shone as a rock-steady cog in the midfield engine room throughout the UEFA Nations League campaign.
She missed February’s friendlies against Italy and Wales, but Toland returns to the fold, relishing the chance to prove herself against world-class opposition.
"This is exactly where we want to be - playing the best in the world," she said.
"We’re playing France on Friday and then England on Tuesday, so we’re really looking forward to this week.
"We’re Irish and we’re going to be hard to beat. We’re going to do all we can to prepare ourselves. Once we step over that white line, we’ll do everything we can for the country."
Blackburn are seventh in the Championship and will not be earning promotion to the Women’s Super League, but Toland has enjoyed a very solid season in Lancashire.
She’s been getting regular minutes she’d been craving after a nomadic few years at Manchester City, Glasgow City, Celtic and Levante.
"I didn’t play as much as I would have liked to in Spain but experience wise it was great," she added.
"It’s very technical there, you’re playing with some of the best players in the world - obviously the Spanish are right up there. I think I took a lot from it. I bring all my experiences back here to the squad.
"I think you take something from every team you’re at.
"(At Blackburn), there’s a few Irish with the men, there’s Sammie (Szmodics) and there’s Connor (O’Riordan) with a few other boys. To be fair, I’m absolutely loving Blackburn. It’s been a great move for me, getting a lot of game time.
"The people are really good and the club’s just been really good for me. I’ve no complaints. I’m really, really enjoying it."
Gleeson threw Toland straight in at the deep end when she recalled the midfielder, starting her against Northern Ireland in front of almost 36,000 people at the Aviva Stadium.
That was a tremendous show of faith, and a serious confidence booster. Now Toland, is eyeing up a French scalp and a return to Lansdowne Road for Tuesday's massive clash against England.
"I've always watched the men’s internationals in the Aviva down through the years - to play there myself was an incredible experience. Obviously playing England there on Tuesday will be a different level altogether.
"Hopefully we get a big crowd and we can put on a big performance for the fans.
"Looking at the draw, I wanted to play against the best in the world. Everyone does, because that's where we want to be ourselves. To get that experience, to play them in the likes of the Aviva, it’s going to be unbelievable and can only do us good."
Watch France v Republic of Ireland in Euro 2025 qualifying on Friday from 7.35pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on 2fm's Game On
Watch Republic of Ireland v England in Euro 2025 qualifying on Tuesday 9 April from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on 2fm's Game On
