Aoife Mannion: 'As long as I'm fit, happy and I'm healthy, what more can you ask for?'

Aoife Mannion's football journey has been laced with more lows than highs.

A vertical scar on her right knee signposts the two ACL injuries that derailed her club and international career for the guts of three years.

Not long after she'd recovered from the second of those setbacks, Mannion suffered a medial ligament tweak that robbed her of the chance to go to last summer's World Cup.

But the Solihull-born defender is made of tough stuff. Mannion admits now that every game she gets under her belt is treated as a blessing; the 28-year-old's struggles merely strengthening her determination to focus on the good stuff.

She comes into Republic of Ireland camp this week still buzzing from being involved in Manchester United's FA Cup final win over Tottenham, and relishing the opportunity to square up to Sweden in Friday night's Euro 2025 qualifier at the Aviva Stadium.

"It's been a mad few weeks," Mannion said at the team's Castleknock Hotel team base.

"We won the FA Cup, that was incredible. In football you have these moments that are the highlights of your career, and then a few days later it almost feels like it's on to the next thing. So I’ve enjoyed being asked the questions about it because it brings it back and then obviously the men’s team won it at the weekend as well so that’s quite special.

"One, two, skip a few, and we’re back in camp for our next round of games in this qualifying campaign. It’s all the good stuff, all excitement, all action happening starting with Sweden."

Mannion would be forgiven for being a little cynical after enduring such an abundance of injury frustration. But the disappointments have instead crystallised her appreciation for the career she's managed to forge.

A versatile and committed player,