Jimmy's winning matches – and Amber Barrett is too.
The Donegal striker had a really good international window with the Republic of Ireland, scoring twice in the two victories against Greece that kept alive hopes of Nations League promotion.
Barrett’s brother Luke is part of Jim McGuinness’s Donegal coaching team; indeed the whole family is steeped in Gaelic football.
She was in good form after slotting home a penalty in Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat of the Greeks at Tallaght Stadium, and is looking forward to a big summer for county and country.
"They are flying, hi, they are absolutely flying," Barrett said of the Donegal Gaelic footballers.
"But you don’t get anything out of them. (Luke) just says, 'ah, we are going alright. We are going okay’. What does he think I am going to do, tell the whole county what is going on?
"They are flat out, but my brother loves it, absolutely loves it and they are flying but it is hard work trying to get anything out of him."
Barrett, on the other hand, is an open book. The 29-year-old Standard Liege attacker has always worn her heart on her sleeve. She’s had to be patient for opportunities in a green jersey, with Kyra Carusa clearly established as the first choice up top, but the last week has done her no harm.
She nabbed a fine goal off the bench in Crete last Friday on the occasion of her 50th cap; then slammed home a spot-kick to open the scoring in Dublin four days later.
"Fifty-one caps, nine goals now," Barrett reflected. "Honestly, I am delighted but that is the challenge I set myself at the start of the week because I know I am going well at club and I wanted to start replicating that at international level.
"It is a step up and a level above again. I trust myself and back myself and I believe I am capable of scoring more goals for Ireland and starting more games. All I can do is keep doing that."
Ireland 1-0 Greece: Amber Barrett gives Ireland the perfect start as she opens the scoring from the penalty spot.
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 8, 2025
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Barrett is in a good place right now. In February she scored twice as Standard Liege beat Oud-Heverlee Leuven 4-1 to reach the Belgian Women’s Cup semi-final; they’ll face Anderlecht in the decider on Easter Monday, 21 April.
After that, thoughts will turn towards a big May/June international window when Ireland will travel to Turkey before taking on group leaders Slovenia at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
"Turkey are a nitty-gritty side that won’t make it easy for us in Istanbul and we have to be prepared for that," Barret added.
"I think this is one of the most difficult Nations League B groups, considering everyone is giving everyone a game and that is what you want, you want it to be competitive. It is up to us to take over the group in the next two games and get the results we need."
As for that cup final, excitement is building in Belgium and in Donegal.
"Tickets are only €15 and flights are very cheap, so you are more than welcome to come over," she joked.
"There’s a crew coming over from Donegal."
