Megan Connolly on making the World Cup squad: 'We kind of achieved it together as a family'

WHEN Michael Connolly saw that there was no team at College Corinthians for his daughter Megan to play with, he set out to make things right.

Now she is off to the FIFA Women’s World, and the Douglas native will feature in an Irish team that is making its debut at a major tournament.

It’s a seismic moment, for her and her country, and Megan is forever grateful for the work that was done all those years ago in Castletreasure.

“I played with the boys for four or five years at Corinthians and then it got to a point where I had to go play with a girls' team,” she said.

“You couldn’t play with the boys anymore. They just wouldn’t let you. Obviously, my dad set up the U12s team at Corinthians. Put up flyers. Put on trials. Over 100 girls came.

He set up this team, we were all like 10 or 11 and we went all the way to senior. All through Corinthians. 

"He kept the same team throughout. Without him, I wouldn’t be here. He gave me that ability to keep playing when there wasn’t that much local opportunities and to play at a team and club that I really love.” 

When an injury forced Megan to miss the play-off against Scotland, she watched it at home with her family. While she was gutted to miss out, the solace was a full-circle moment that was 20 years in the making.

“It was tough but it was a really nice moment just being able to celebrate with my parents and Luke,” she said, referencing her brother that plays Gaelic football with Nemo Rangers.

“We kind of achieved it together as a family. I wouldn’t be here without them. I wouldn’t be at this point in my career without them.

“Yes I would have loved to have been there but obviously I was still recovering from the ribs so I couldn’t do all that travelling with the kidney. For me, I loved being at home and celebrating with them.

There was tears. There was joy. For me, that was a great memory, being there with them and celebrating. 

"As hard as it was, my dad was like commentary the whole time and I was just like silent. You can’t do anything watching the TV. You can’t influence anything.

“Obviously Amber (Barrett) done her thing and the dog had to be kicked out because he was barking so much! Just craziness. It is definitely a memory that I will always remember.” 

COUNTDOWN

Now things are getting very real, with Ireland’s first game of the tournament scheduled for July 20.

“We’ve been here two and a half weeks training and the team was only announced two days ago. It is still only sinking in that we are going to the World Cup. We’re on the plane and going there,” she explained.

“I think once we start travelling and get there it will really kick in. But obviously, we’ve never been to a tournament like this so we don’t know what to expect. I think everyone is just excited and it still doesn’t feel real."

Everything will come together in a few short weeks, and Megan’s whole family will be there in Australia.

“I’m so grateful, they booked stuff straight away. They were never going to miss it,” she said.

“They were always going to be there, even if they had to sacrifice their own personal stuff. They were always going to be there. It is going to be really nice having them there watching the games.”