“The young kids, growing up, now they have something to dream for.”
Ireland are off to the Women’s World Cup, for the first time in their history, ands Amber Barrett is the player that secured that dream with the winning goal in a tense playoff against Scotland.
Barrett, who hails from Milford in Donegal, came off the bench in the second half of the playoff encounter and coolly poked home the winner against a tough Scottish side.
Ireland boss Vera Pauw later told RTÉ that Barrett assured her that she would score if she came off the bench against the Scots. She talked the talk and shot her shot, making Irish footballing history in the process.
Following the 1-0 Irish win, Barrett dedicated the goal to the victims of the Creeslough explosion, last Friday, the wider community of the bereft Donegal town and all the volunteers and first responders that have worked non-stop since the tragedy.
— sportsfile (@sportsfile) October 11, 2022
Amber Barrett on Creeslough connection
Talking to Tony O’Donoghue, with a tricolour draped around her shoulders, Amber Barrett spoke of how much it meant to help Ireland qualify for the World Cup. She also discussed how the Creeslough tragedy had touched her own life.
“This is for all the young kids, growing up,” she said. “Now they have something to dream for, and I’m so happy to be part of this team.”
“I know Creeslough like the back of my hand. Both of my grandparents were Creeslough, born and bred. I spent my whole upbringing there, down there in summers and at Christmas. Every year, I go back from football to my uncle, who is still living in Creeslough.
“I know people that died in the tragedy, who were affected by it, people who were first on the scene at the tragedy. I’ve not been able to put into words about it. There’s been a sombreness to me, these last few days.
“This is the best day of my life, in terms of a football experience, but, when you put it all into perspective, we don’t scratch the surface of what happened there, on Friday. This result, this game, that goal, this award, I’m dedicating it to those 10 beautiful souls, who unfortunately perished on Friday. To all their families, because I know they touched their lives. They certainly touched ours.
“This is for Creeslough, this is for Donegal, this is for Ireland.”
"Now they have something to dream for" pic.twitter.com/j6e3HVBgsB
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 11, 2022
Amber Barrett, who also touched her black armband and kissed it after her goal, admitted she ‘big toe-d it’ to score that winning goal.
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