'It's a special one, but there's a job to be done' - Ireland star's Cork homecoming

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND international Megan Connolly is relishing this month’s Euro 2025 qualifier against France at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The Cork native insists the focus is on England in Norwich on 12 July first, but the homecoming on Leeside four days later will be “special”.

Connolly is among the high profile Corkonians in the Ireland squad alongside centurion Denise O’Sullivan.

While she hasn’t played at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, she has been a spectator at many of her brother Luke’s Gaelic football matches there for Cork and Nemo Rangers and is a regular passer-by.

“I think I’ve walked past it 1,000 times,” Connolly tells The 42. “I’ve cycled past it so many times when it was the old stadium, and obviously got it redone. It’s amazing.

“I think the last game I was actually at was 2012, I believe in Turner’s Cross, so 12 years ago was the last women’s fixture in Cork. It’s a special one. Being in Cork, it’d be amazing to play in that game, but obviously, it’s one of those ones where that focus is on the first game and when it does come, that will be amazing, but there’s a job to be done.

“As much as it’s amazing that it’s in Cork and I’ll have a lot of family there, end of the day we’re playing France, one of the best teams in the world, and we’re going to want to get a result.”

“It’s a great stadium,” she adds. “I know there’s about 22,000 it can hold for the game. Hopefully we can sell close to that and really make it a good atmosphere and a proper home game, have the crowd behind us, which they always have been at the Aviva and Tallaght. Hopefully we can showcase what Cork is about!”

Advertisement

A general view of Paairc Uai Chaoimh.

Connolly won’t shy away from how difficult the campaign has been to date. Eileen Gleeson’s side have been pitted against three of the world’s top teams in England, France and Sweden, suffering four defeats: 1-0 to France away, 2-0 to the Lionesses at home, and 3-0 and 1-0 to the Swedes.

But she stresses the “bigger picture” as qualification hopes for Switzerland 2025 remain alive through the play-offs later this year. Ireland are targetting results — and an improvement to their seeding — in the upcoming double-header.

“We’ll be firing to go,” Connolly insists. “That hunger and drive is there with everyone that we want to put on a good show, good performances, really fight for each other and get something.

“There’s no doubt we want to get a result. We’re not going in there just trying to be numbers. We want to put it up to both England and France.

“We keep saying we want to compete with the best and to do that, you have to learn from these games of playing the best. And I think we’re doing that. Every game, we’re trying to adapt. In the short-term, yes, we’re going to compete in these next two games. In the long-term, I think it’ll stick to us.”

Available players gathered for a mini-camp at FAI HQ last week to sharpen up after a reset period, during which Connolly enjoyed a week’s holiday in Spain and spent time back home.

The team attended Taylor Swift’s Saturday concert at the Aviva Stadium. Connolly laughs that she’s “not one of the craziest Swifties,” but it was “something else” and an experience ticked off the bucket list.

While the 27-year-old’s full focus is on Ireland currently, her Bristol City future is up in the air. She signed for the WSL newcomers last summer and was captain as they were relegated back to the Championship.

“I am in between, so that is to be confirmed,” she says on her contractual situation.

Connolly in action against Sweden last time out.

“It was a really difficult season, but it was a very enjoyable season,” she reflects.

“Great group, I was able to play every minute, started all the games, was captain, got so much exposure in WSL, playing at the highest level. It was tough because I wanted us to stay up, I wanted us to compete again next year in the WSL, but that’s football. At the highest level, it’s so difficult. Football is a results-based game, and as much as you can try and put on nice performances, we weren’t getting the results.

“I’m looking forward to whatever challenge is ahead, whatever that may be.”

One, away from her playing commitments, is resuming her education in the PFA Business School.

The Sky WNT Fund has allowed Connolly to enrol for a two-year, part-time course, which begins in September. She previously balanced her studies with football at Florida State University, completing a degree in Social Science and Biology, before going professional in England.

“Obviously, it’s been on the back of my mind the last few years,” the former Brighton player concludes. “You finish one career quite young, you have to have something else in the background.

“I’ve done my Uefa B licence, I’ve always had an interest in the business side, and with the PFA Business School offering great courses for players who are currently playing, it just matched up this year and I felt it was the right time.”

The Sky WNT Fund is an annual bursary of €25,000, established by Sky to provide financial assistance to members of the Republic of Ireland Women National Team. Now in its third year, the fund is designed to empower recipients by providing financial support that goes towards academic studies and career ambitions, off the pitch.