Latest news with #ErinHealy
The 42
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
'Excitement, surrealness' - New Ireland call-up proud to represent late grandfather
THE PHONE CALL confirming Erin Healy's first Ireland call-up last week was a special one. It brought 'every emotion' for her and her family, the US-born attacker qualifying for the Girls In Green through her late grandfather, Hugh McGuire, originally from Clones, Co. Monaghan. 'It was an unreal experience, something I'd been working super hard for, something I'm super grateful for and it's exciting to be here,' says Healy on a Zoom call from Istanbul ahead of Friday's penultimate Nations League game against Türkiye. 'It was just an emotion of excitement, surrealness. Now I can just kind of play through my grandfather and make him proud. He passed away around eight years ago. I know he'd be excited for me.' Advertisement Her mother, Maureen — McGuire's daughter — is particularly proud. 'She wanted to try to get out for one of the games in this camp but it's not going to work out this time.' Healy's journey to this point has been interesting. The 42 mapped it last week: From La Mesa in San Diego to Adelaide United, where she caught Carla Ward's eye in the A-League Women's. The 24-year-old came close to quitting football after college, instead focusing on her career as an accountant, but gave it another shot in the Portuguese top-flight with Club de Albergaria before pushing herself further in Australia. 'I fell in love with (football) again, I found the fun in it. And I think I'm at my best when I'm having fun. The Portuguese League showed I had more potential so I wanted to go to another team and another league to see how well I did there to see whether I continue soccer or finish it. I'm happy to be still here and still playing and now I want to make a career out of it.' First day done for Erin Healy 🇮🇪💪 — Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) May 26, 2025 Healy has attracted interest from the WSL and NWSL recently, but today pledged her future to Adelaide United for the 2025/26 season. The international dream now takes precedence: With a debut on the cards against Türkiye or Slovenia — in Páirc Uí Chaoimh next Tuesday — what can we expect from the new call-up? And what is she expecting? 'I like to be involved in a lot of the play and I like to be creative. I think I'm really inconsistent in the way I play, not inconsistent, but hard to read so I give a defender a lot to defend against. 'Just being able to play in different environments, and being able to perform in those environments, just shows that I can do well here as well. 'I just want to get my foot in the door and get comfortable. I'm ready to put my best foot forward and hopefully get some playing time. But you never know, whatever is needed from me.'
RTÉ News
27-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Sojourn Down Under rekindled Erin Healy's love for the game
Republic of Ireland recruit Erin Healy says the fun she had during her time in the the A-League in Australia brought about a renewed love for the game. Last week, the 24-year-old San Diego-born attacker was called up by Carla Ward ahead of the Nations League encounters against Turkey and Slovenia. Healy qualifies through her Clones-born grandfather Hugh McGuire, and revealed that it was a long-held ambition for her to wear the green of Ireland. Speaking to the the press from the Irish squad's base in Turkey, she said: "With my grandfather coming to the USA from Ireland, the Irish heritage has always been part of who I am. When I was in college, my coach enquired as to whether any of us had dual citizenship. "I asked my mom and she was already collecting documents. I got my citizenship (last September) and ever since then it has been my goal to play for this team. "It was an unreal experience and it was something I'd been working hard for, really hard for and it is super exciting to be here. I've already been welcomed by the coaching staff. It's a great group of people and hopefully I'll get some playing time. The team are definitely climbing, are making big strides, and I'm delighted to be part of that . "It's something that would have made my grandfather proud." Healy's arrival in Ireland comes on the back of an impressive season with Adelaide United in the Ninja A-League, where she scored eight goals and was named the team's player of the year. There was also a stint in Portugal with Club de Albergaria. The Irish boss sees Healy as a potential replacement for the injured Leanne Ward, speaking highly of the player at last week's squad announcement. "She is Australia based but soon to be European based this summer and that will help for sure. She is someone we watched quite a lot," Ward said. "If you have a look at her, she can score goals and link the play. Importantly, she has got a lot of pace and somebody we have been excited about." In assessing her own worth on the pitch, Healy admitted that she's somewhat enigmatic, when saying: "I like to be involved in a lot of the play, I like to be creative but I'm hard to read in how I play. I like to give a defender a lot to defend against, so that's what you can expect of me." The latest addition to the Irish squad has certainly gained much experience abroad and as to her future plans, she was somewhat non-committal. "We are having a few conversations but I'm focusing on this camp first". Though when pushed, Healy did say that the WSL would be "the area I'd be most interested in". Of course, there was a period when Healy was ready to walk away from the game after graduating from college with an accounting degree. Recalling the that time, she said: "I took an internship during my college years and I enjoyed the corporate world. I was scared that if you don't get your foot in there at the beginning it might be harder down the road but I also knew I wasn't done with soccer and I had more to give." Those stints in Portugal and Australia underlined that that she did indeed have more to give. "I went to the Portuguese league to see if I wanted to continue with soccer. I realised it was part of who I am and I wanted to keep it going. The Portuguese league showed that I had more potential, that I could play in different environments, and perform in those environments. "I wanted to give it one more try and see what comes of it. I found the fun again, I fell back in love with it. "Going to Australia was a big leap but I'm comfortable away from home even though I knew I'd be home sick a little bit. I met amazing people and they became my family, a family away from family. "I think I play my best when I'm having fun. In Australia I had fun every second."
Irish Times
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Erin Healy hoping to meet the moment after becoming latest call-up born beyond Irish shores
For years, the women's national soccer squad usually had a sprinkling of players born beyond these shores. They qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland through their parents or grandparents. However, the numbers never came close to the men's set-up until the last few years. The net is being cast wide. It was striking that when Carla Ward named her squad last week for the Nations League games against Turkey and Slovenia, just 11 of the 24 selected players were born in Ireland. The rest are natives of either the UK or the United States, with the newest recruit being San Diego-born Erin Healy. Those numbers will hardly soothe the frustration of supporters of the local game who want to see more home-based players given their chance in the senior squad. Healy's selection won't placate them. Considering she plays in Australia, it's doubtful if Ward has seen much or any of her. The hope is that she will fare better than Ireland's last recruit from the Australian league, Deborah-Anne de la Harpe, who was taken off by then-manager Vera Pauw at half-time on her debut in 2023 and hasn't been seen since. READ MORE The counter argument is, of course, that Healy is playing professionally and at a higher level. She has scored eight goals in her 22 appearances for Adelaide United since joining them last September from Portugal's Club de Albergaria. Granted, a highlights reel can make Rasmus Hojlund resemble Marco van Basten, but Healy certainly looks useful. She is pacy and tricky, with a zinger of a shot. She won Adelaide's player of the year award, with coach Adrian Stenta describing the 24-year-old's performances in her debut campaign as 'immense'. Little wonder, then, that Ward would at least want a close-up look at her. No more than Jack Charlton back in the day, the job of an international manager is primarily to find the best possible talent for his or her squad. It is not their role to be concerned by players' places of birth once they get hold of that passport. Isabel Hodgson and Erin Healy (right) celebrate Adelaide United's victory in the A-League women's elimination final match against Western United in April. Photograph:Healy got hers last September. Both sides of her family have Irish roots, but it was through her late maternal grandfather, Hugh McGuire, who left Clones, Co Monaghan for the States when he was 25, that she qualified. After graduating from Gonzaga University in Washington state with a business degree, she put the offer a job on the back-burner, opting to move to Portugal for a season to see if she could forge a career in soccer. She prospered there, earning a move to Australia and, eight months later, a call-up from Ward. 'It was an unreal experience,' she said of their phone chat. 'My Irish heritage has always been part of who I am and who my family is. Ever since I got my citizenship, it's been my goal to play for this team and be a part of it.' [ 'I'm here to play': Republic of Ireland defender Louise Quinn aims to go out on a high in Nations League ties Opens in new window ] [ TV View: Katie McCabe wins one for Ireland, sort of, as Arsenal topple Barcelona Opens in new window ] She's hoping for a move back to Europe again in the months ahead, ideally to England's WSL. The commute from Australia for international duty is a touch on the lengthy side. If she can contribute as much to the Irish cause as, say, fellow San Diegan Courtney Brosnan, she'll do fine. And while the likes of Kyra Carusa, Ruesha Littlejohn, Lucy Quinn and Aoife Mannion were born beyond these shores too, their passion and commitment in representing the land of their ancestors is beyond doubt. Still, it would be good to see more of that home-based talent given its chance. If the argument is that they're not playing at a high enough level, then bring them in with those who are. Test them, push them, see what they can offer. The connection with the diaspora is a very lovely thing, but there needs to be a solid one with the home crew too.
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘He passed away around eight years ago. I know he'll be excited for me' – Erin Healy's family ties binding her in green
Erin Healy almost quit playing football until, thanks partially to the kindness of a 90-year-old Portuguese grandmother, she realised the flame still burned.
The 42
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
'She only wants to play for Ireland': The new US-born recruit tipped for a WSL move
AT GONZAGA UNIVERSITY in Washington, the women's football coach was always asking US-born players if they had another nationality. If so, he encouraged them to get their citizenship so they had the opportunity to play for the relative country. Erin Healy wasn't sure how the process worked. Her grandfather grew up in Monaghan before moving Stateside, but was uncertain if she would qualify. Her mother is an Irish citizen and in time, she learned she could be too. Around the time she graduated from Gonzaga University in 2023, she started the process. Healy got her citizenship last September, and eight months later, has received her first call-up to the Ireland team. *** After college, Healy was at a crossroads in her football journey. She was in two minds about playing professionally: she could give it a chance, go and see a bit of the world, and play for a year or two max. Or she could continue to find her way in the corporate sphere, with an accounting job lined up after completing an internship. Perhaps hesitantly, she decided to give football one more go. The San Diego native had carved out a respectable college football career. She came to Gonzaga after scoring 20 goals and providing eight assists for her high school, Academy of Our Lady Peace, as they won the 2018 Southern California State Championships. While her Washington side didn't lift major silverware, Healy was named on various All-League teams, hitting the five-to-eight goal mark per season as a lively attacker. But her love for football began to fade. Advertisement As Healy weighed up her future, a Portuguese top-flight side, Club de Albergaria, reached out. Moving to Europe always interested her, and she went for the life experience, above all else. But there, she rediscovered her love for the game. She lived with five internationals and the club vice president's 90-year-old grandmother in traditional Portuguese surroundings, and she embraced the lifestyle. In all, she scored eight goals in 24 games, but this chapter was about much more than football. Everything kick-started in Australia. She signed for Adelaide United last September, with the A-League club hailing her 'versatility, composure on the ball, and strength in one-v-one battles' as she signed the dotted line. Healy was instrumental for an Adelaide side that finished third in the regular season and reached the play-off semi-finals. While her return of eight goals and two assists in 22 games isn't eye-watering, she was often deployed deeper in midfield. A new recruit in camp 🇮🇪 See you soon, Erin Healy 🤩 — Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) May 20, 2025 Notably, she was named in the PFA A-League Women's Team of the Season, and as she collected Adelaide's prestigious Dianne Alagich Medal, manager Adrian Stenta said: 'Erin's been outstanding for us this year, not just in terms of her stats, but in the way she's approached every single session and match. Her ability to drive the team forward, her physicality, and her creativity in tight areas — it's made her such a valuable player. Even when returning from injury late in the year, she made a huge difference. 'She's got a great mindset, she's a team-first player, and her influence both on and off the pitch has been immense.' *** The 42 first flagged Healy in March after she shared her ambition to play for Ireland. 'I just got my citizenship back in September, and I started thinking how it would be really cool to get an opportunity to play for their national team,' she told The A-League website. 'So I've been talking with my agent and seeing if that's a realistic goal, and using this season to help me get on their radar. That's kind of my goal for the next couple of months: to get that opportunity to go play for Ireland and see where it can lead me. I'm super excited I have the citizenship, and it's even a possibility.' In a separate interview with 7News Adelaide, she said: 'I've never been to Ireland, so hopefully I can go soon. I would be so grateful. 'It would be super cool to play for them, representing them and my grandfather, that would be awesome. I've heard Ireland has a great fanbase, and I don't know if I have played before that many fans.' Yesterday, Healy was named in Carla Ward's squad for the Nations League finale against Türkiye and Slovenia. Viewed as a 'natural replacement' for the injured Leanne Kiernan, Ward said Healy had been tracked 'for some time' by the FAI as she unveiled the new recruit. The news, shared over the phone, was 'a nice surprise' for Healy, who she is tipping for a WSL move this summer, with interest also attracted from the NWSL and across Europe. 'She is an exciting young player,' Ward said of the 24-year-old. 'She's pacy, she can play off both sides, she can play down the middle. She's tenacious, front-footed, can score goals and link the play. You can see from the goals she scores, she is a natural-born finisher. You can see why she has attracted conversations from big clubs, she just gives us something different.' Related Reads 'Let's hope she comes in with a nice medal': Katie McCabe gunning for Champions League glory 'Exciting' Adelaide United attacker Erin Healy earns first Ireland international call-up Ward speaking at her press conference. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO As with every dual-eligible player, there may be suspicion in some quarters around her commitment. With interest flagged on this side of the world, some might view this as a shop window move, but Ward dismisses those concerns and stresses Healy's allegiance. 'Just so you are aware, her Irish passport was long before me (arriving). She made herself available under previous managers. 'She has been contacting (the FAI) long before I was here, she's been banging on the door, she wants to play for only one country. I have spoken to Emma [Hayes, USA manager] about her, and she only wants to play for Ireland. 'When I told her this morning on the phone, she was close to tears.' Vera Pauw and Eileen Gleeson sought out dual players through their tenures, with Kyra Carusa, Anna Patten, Aoife Mannion and Caitlin Hayes among the success stories. Others haven't reappeared after their maiden call-up. Healy could indeed make her debut against Türkiye or Slovenia, with Carusa, Amber Barrett and Saoirse Noonan named as her direct competition. 'You have four very different forwards and two very different games, so you could see them all featuring at some point,' said Ward. It's a story worth keeping an eye on over the coming weeks and months.
