Republic of Ireland forward Saoirse Noonan has paid tribute to manager Carla Ward for helping her to reignite her international career ahead of the upcoming Nations League play-off double-header against Belgium.
Despite making her debut for the Girls in Green in a 2-1 friendly win over Wales back in 2016, Noonan has racked up just eight more caps in the intervening years, with lengthy spells in the wilderness.
After beginning her career at Cork City, spells at Shelbourne and Durham followed, but it was her move to Celtic in the summer of 2024 and her subsequent goalscoring exploits which eventually thrusted her back into Ireland reckoning.
When Noonan featured off the bench in the 2-1 Nations League win over Greece in April, it was her first appearance for the national team since the pre-World Cup friendly against Zambia back in June 2023.
She went on to achieve a historic first in June, becoming the first sportsperson to feature in a competitive inter-county GAA match and a football international at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, capping the occasion by scoring the only goal of the game.
Reflecting on her lack of game time under previous international bosses, the diplomatic 26-year-old told RTÉ Sport: "I think every manager is different, aren't they?
"I think for me, when I made that move to Celtic, the system looked like it suited me and I wanted to get back scoring goals.
"I think my first six months there, I hit the ground running and obviously I played Champions League football.
"We showed we could play against the best sides. We were not just playing in Scotland.
"We were playing against Chelsea, we were playing against Twente, we were playing against Real Madrid.
"You can't ignore a player that's playing those games, I think.
"I'm so grateful for Carla for bringing me back in and then giving me the opportunity to be on the pitch."
The play-off against Belgium at the Aviva Stadium on Friday and in Leuven next Tuesday not only offers Ireland the opportunity to return to League A of the Nations League, it also guarantees the victors a place in the 2027 World Cup play-offs, regardless of what happens in qualifying.
The magnitude of the matches against the Red Flames is not lost on Noonan, who admitted: "It's huge. It's a big week, a big week for all the team, we spoke about it this morning.
"We need absolutely everyone, and I think we're all raring to go.
"It's been a long time coming, and the 24 players that are in right now are absolutely delighted and we're all so privileged to be here.
"Friday is going to be absolutely huge, and we all can't wait to put on the green shirt and go out there."
Noonan and her international colleagues have been keeping close tabs on the fitness of Denise O'Sullivan, who has been battling a knee injury, but features in the squad.
O'Sullivan, who had been absent from the North Carolina Courage line-up since August, made her return off the bench against Bay FC in the NWSL in the United States at the weekend, and her fellow Cork woman was effusive in her praise for her influential team-mate.
"I think we've all been probably keeping an eye on her team sheets and when we all saw her back on on the bench and then getting minutes, that's all you want to see.
"She's always going to be the biggest workhorse on the team and she's always someone to look up to.
"She had a tough injury.
"But it just shows her mindset and her willingness to to do whatever she can to be in these games.
"I'm sure she'll be fit and ready and she'll do whatever it takes to play.
"She just brings such a calmness, such a leadership and she just gets the job done.
"She goes about her business.
"She's such a professional athlete and such an inspiration to all of us.
"Definitely having her in the camp is unbelievable, and who doesn't want to play with Denise O'Sullivan?"
Watch Republic of Ireland v Belgium in the UEFA Women's Nations League play-offs on Friday from 6.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to live radio commentary on an extended Game On with 2fm.
