On Saturday, Sinead Farrelly made her international debut for Ireland against the United States. Her switch to the Ireland women’s national team was only announced on Friday, and was a shock to many — while she had been training with the Girls in Green all week in Texas, it had largely flown under the radar. Twenty-four hours later, she played 60 minutes in the 2-0 loss to the USWNT.
A player changing national teams tends to be a story, but Farrelly’s journey to playing for Ireland is more remarkable than most. Farrelly returned to the NWSL after being signed by NJ/NY Gotham FC this past March, almost eight years after her previous appearance in the league in 2015. She was forced to retire in 2016 after a car accident, but another major reason for the early ending to her soccer career was not made public until much later. Farrelly, along with former Thorns teammate Mana Shim, accused then-Portland coach Paul Riley of sexual coercion and harassment in a story on The Athletic published in September 2021.
In the tunnel at Q2 Stadium, sporting Ireland team gear and needing to catch the bus for their flight to St. Louis, Farrelly was all smiles in the mixed zone.
“I am so overwhelmed,” she said. “Very happy, excited — obviously we wanted to win — but I am just…
