Blue skies ahead for Ireland's rising force Jess Ziu

These are heady times for Jess Ziu.

The Finglas native is in Ireland camp ahead of Thursday night's massive World Cup qualifier showdown with Finland at Tallaght Stadium.

She's also preparing for her first season in the Women's Super League having moved to West Ham from Shelbourne.

First game up? A trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea, the team her dad supports.

"My mam would buy me any jersey that looked nice, but Man City," Ziu replied on Monday when asked who she supported growing up.

"West Ham men played Man City on the opening day of the season and I had my Man City jersey with me but I couldn't wear it or put it on! But my dad is a Chelsea fan so that’s why it is huge for him. It’s a win-win for him to see his daughter at Stamford Bridge.

"I can’t wait. It’s a dream from playing at Tolka, where Peamount play and Cork to Stamford Bridge is unbelievable and is something that I never thought was going to happen. Hopefully the pressure doesn’t get to me but it will be unreal and I’m looking forward to it."

"Izzy coming to West Ham was a shock. I knew nothing about it. She kept it a secret and so did the staff."

It's been a year of accelerated progress for 20-year-old midfielder Ziu. She broke into Vera Pauw's senior Ireland squad, earning a first start in last November's 11-0 destruction of Georgia.

The Dubliner had been one of the driving forces behind Shels' Women's National League title success but by the following March - St Patrick's Day to be precise - it was confirmed she'd be heading to the Hammers, ultimately linking up one of her old Shels team-mates Izzy Atkinson, who arrived from Celtic in July.

"Izzy coming to West Ham was a shock. I knew nothing about it. She kept it a secret and so did the staff.

"When I found