Former Sion Swifts star McLaughlin is on the up
Women’s Nations League
Ireland's Erin McLaughlin
Already in her young career, Erin McLaughlin has made a welcome habit of defying convention.
Raised in a senior football wilderness, the Donegal native moved to Sion Swifts in the Irish League to forge fledging steps in the game that had already been signposted by international underage recognition.
Then, as she embarked upon a degree in primary teaching in Maynooth, she needed to discover a broader canvas.
And so she joined Peamount United, one of the sport’s more established outfits; such was the striker’s impact, a senior call-up appeared inevitable.
It arrived last year, when former manager Vera Pauw drafted her for a training camp 11 months ago in Marbella.
Many had expected the call but not McLaughlin; her sister had to tell her she had made the cut.
McLaughlin didn’t make the squad for the World Cup in Australia but, after maintaining her steadfast progress with Peamount and in home-based training sessions, she was sprung for a debut against Zambia back in June.
That she ultimately missed out might have caused some players to accept the exclusion with sanguine grace. Not her.
“Not getting to the World Cup was disappointing, but the experience was amazing,” says the 20-year-old member of the expanding Donegal contingent in this squad, alongside Tyler Toland and Amber Barrett, all of whom are gearing up for this evening’s Women’s Nations League clash with Albania in Shkoder.
“And I feel like now this is my second chance to come and redeem myself and show what can I do. So yeah now it’s pushing on from here, a fresh start.”
Read on belfasttelegraph.co.uk
