Ireland's Saoirse Noonan is eager to savor every moment of her time with the Irish Women's national team before it comes to an end.
The Cork native's stint with Ireland has been relatively brief. Since her debut in 2016, Noonan has mostly been on the fringes of the Ireland squads, earning only three caps in the seven years since her debut.
This week, Noonan and the Ireland team are set to face Northern Ireland in their opening game of the Nations League at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
Noonan's last visit to the stadium was during the FAI Cup with Cork City back in 2017. She fondly describes the stadium as the 'field of dreams.'
"My most significant experience at the Aviva Stadium is winning the cup final with Cork City there," she mentioned this week.
"It's a field of dreams, and that's where you want to be, on the big stage.
"We've fought hard to secure the opportunity to play at the Aviva. We're hoping for a large crowd and aiming to put on a show for everyone while delivering a strong performance. We are well aware of what this team is capable of now.
"We proudly wear the crest every day. We are all eagerly looking forward to Saturday. We want to make it a special occasion, and it should indeed be one."
Saoirse Noonan is ready to soak up every minute of a landmark day when the Republic of Ireland line up at the Aviva Stadium's "field of dreams", writes @AP_Pyne https://t.co/fOnAWAWm8R #RTEsoccer
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) September 21, 2023
Noonan was also asked about her teammate Diane Caldwell's comments regarding the team's success being attributed to the players rather than their former manager, Vera Pauw. Similar to her interim manager, Eileen Gleeson, she agrees that everyone is entitled to their opinion on the matter but wants to focus on the upcoming game against Northern Ireland on Saturday.
"Everyone has the right to express their opinion. In sports, things change rapidly. Personally, missing out on the World Cup squad was tough, but that's life. We all need to move forward.
"A football career is relatively short, so we must cherish every minute.
"We can't alter the past; our focus should be on moving forward now. People will always have their own perspectives. I'm just delighted to be back in the fold. I'm looking ahead to Saturday and focusing on the future."
Ireland's next game will be against Northern Ireland in the Nations League, which kicks off at 1pm on Saturday, September 23, at the Aviva Stadium.
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