There were smiles all around on Wednesday afternoon as Ireland’s World Cup stars trained in front of more than 100 Brisbane-based fans at Meakin Park, on the outskirts of the east Australian city.
People from all corners of the Emerald Isle, who now call Brisbane home, pulled on their green jerseys and cheered on the Girls in Green as they went through a light workout.
Light, because the effects of their long journey around the world haven’t yet worn off.
The squad arrived last weekend and settled into a training schedule designed to shake off the jet lag and reset their body-clocks.
That meant an 11am session on day one, when or 1am Irish time, noon on day two, 2pm, 4pm yesterday and 6pm today and an 8pm behind-closed-doors friendly with Colombia tomorrow.
By next Thursday’s Group B opener against Australia, there will be no sign of the fatigue that has hit the players at various times so far during their stay Down Under.
Vera Pauw calls it “jet lag protocol” and says the key is “to be active at the moment your body actually wants to sleep.”
Birmingham City star Lucy Quinn has so far managed to resist the urge to sleep.
“It’s been difficult,” she acknowledged. “It’s one of those things you can’t really prepare for.
“But we knew that was coming when the tournament was announced that it would be in Australia and New Zealand and yeah I’m just really happy to be here, it gives me a lot of energy.
“It hasn’t been too bad.”
It hasn’t been easy either.
“No, not really. You wake up at two, then you wake up at five and maybe have a cup of tea and try and go back to bed,” she said.
“I’m sure at some point, it will work itself out. And if not, you have to just get on with it.”
The sight of a small stand full of Irish fans yesterday was as good as a strong cup of coffee for Quinn and her teammates.
They put on a good show for the supporters, many of whom were getting to see the Girls in Green in person for the first time.
The only downer on an afternoon that saw Irish of all ages - from babies to men and women who were decades into their Australian adventures - was the withdrawal of Abbie Larkin midway through a training game.
The Shamrock Rovers teenager took a knock to the head, but was smiling once again when it was time to sign autographs and pose for selfies.
Quinn continued: “Obviously we’ve had a good few training sessions which have been really good, since we got here to Australia. But it’s really nice when people watch the sessions.
“I don’t know what it is, it’s like a game. But to have people come out and to see our fans, to see a bit of green, is really really exciting.”
If there wasn’t enough for Quinn to get worked up about, next week’s opponents Australia bring her back to her Ireland debut almost two years ago.
The Matildas’ visit to Tallaght in September 2021 marked not only a new chapter in Quinn’s career, but in the journey of Pauw’s team.
A 3-2 friendly win over their heavily-fancied visitors was the turning point after a series of defeats.
It was Ireland’s last warm-up game before a World Cup qualification campaign that ended in glory last October in Hampden Park.
Quinn was originally credited with Ireland’s opener, but it went down as an own-goal, having bounced off the post and off the back of Aussie goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold on its way to the net.
“It went down as an own-goal, but no one is going to take that away from me,” said Quinn. “That’s always going to be my goal.”
She continued: “It’s really nice how it has come full circle - my first ever game for Ireland was against Australia. Then our first game in the World Cup is against Australia. It’s quite nice.”
Would she take playing a part in another own-goal next Thursday in front of 82,000 fans in Sydney?
“Yeah, I guess,” replied Quinn. “I’d still celebrate it like it was mine and I’d have a cheeky word with FIFA! But I’d still take an OG.”
As for Ireland’s impressive run ever since Quinn made her bow against Australia, she said: “I can’t take all the credit for that.
“But the record would suggest that ever since my debut the team has really kicked on throughout the campaign and has just grown in confidence.
“But also we have been able to show ability.
“And qualifying for a major tournament in my first couple of years in international football is what dreams are made of, really.”
Now to realise one more dream.
“I know it sounds silly,” Quinn said, “but when you’re a kid, you’re running around the garden pretending that you scored in the World Cup.
