JULIE-ANN RUSSELL watched on from Galway last year as Ireland lined out in a major finals in Australia.
And the striker thought her own chances of achieving that feat were long gone.
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So this week she is relishing the prospect rather than feeling the pressure of helping the Girls in Green to reach Euro 2025.
Russell will be in the Ireland side that faces Wales in Cardiff on Friday and again at the Aviva on Tuesday as Eileen Gleeson’s team bid to progress to the European Championships.
And it is fitting that Russell is there.
The 33-year-old soldiered through so many of the last decade’s highs and lows, winning 64 caps and scoring seven goals.
But before her four appearances and three goals in the past six months, there was a four-year international absence.
Initially, that was because of the pandemic as Russell was based in Australia. But following her 2021 return to Galway, she remained out of Vera Pauw’s plans.
When Ireland featured at their first World Cup, Russell had just given birth to daughter Rosie and was watching on, never dreaming that she would be experiencing weeks such as this again.
The Women’s Premier Division Player of the Year said: “It’s surreal now. I remember vividly watching the opening game of the World Cup in Australia and Rosie was about two weeks old.
“I never thought I’d be putting on a green jersey again. So weeks like this, and having a chance to go to a finals, it’s just a privilege to be part of it. You have to enjoy it. It’s exciting.”
Even this time 12 months ago, returning to action with Galway United was something Russell was unsure about, never mind an Ireland recall.
She explained: “I really didn’t know. When I was pregnant, I used to say, ‘I don’t know if I’ll come back’ because I genuinely didn’t.
“After the birth, after about six or seven weeks, I was allowed to go back and exercise and I felt good. So I thought I might give Galway United a go.
“I had watched them and seen it was a young team that had potential. I stayed in close contact with the manager Phil Trill through the first season.
“He encouraged me to come back and give it a go.
“I love playing football and being a mum. I’ll play until my body says no or until I can’t.”