Aoife Mannion desperate to make an impact after after rocky road

Nothing has come easy for Aoife Mannion in a football journey pockmarked by significant setbacks.

The Manchester United defender endured two ACL injuries in two and half years; rupturing the ligament in her right knee in October 2019, and then suffering a relapse in March 2022.

Called up to the Republic of Ireland squad for the first time in February 2023, the 28-year-old shone so impressively in a friendly against China that she instantly looked a shoo-in for World Cup selection.

However another desperately unfortunate knee injury crushed her dreams of making it to the tournament, while a torn quad last September wiped her out of the UEFA Nations League campaign.

Every time she gains a few yards, the cruel hand of fate seems to drag Mannion backwards.

And yet she keeps on going.

On Friday night she made her first competitive start for Ireland, producing a gutsy performance in the 1-0 loss to France in Metz. It is, she hopes, the start of a trouble-free run of games.

"Football is mad," Mannion said. "It has its ups and downs. I was delighted to be in the mix with games last year but this is my first competitive start. Maybe that will sink in after the camp but right now, it is about taking the positives and the learnings from this.

"I came in a couple of camps last year but unfortunately I had some injuries. C'est la vie; that’s life. But now I am back and I feel like I can contribute and that is what I am focusing on.

"There are elements of injuries that you could dwell on but really for me, it is easier to look forward and appreciate how things can swing around, sometimes in a bad way and sometimes in a good way."

It was a challenging night for the Girls in Green against a very stong French outfit.

They were on the back foot for