"I was sprinting and I heard a big massive 'POP'. I thought I had been shot in the back of the leg."

Labhair RTÉ.ie/Gaeilge le Tara O'Hanlon, a bheidh le feiceáil in Pass It On: Peil na mBan, faoi na dúshlán, na híobairtí agus a brionglóid, ainneoin droch-ghortaithe, bheith ina peileadóir proifisiúnta.

In March 2023, Tara O'Hanlon's professional soccer career was going very well. Peamount United, where she played as an attack-minded left back, had played and won the four opening games of the season. They had their eyes on their third Women's Premier Division title in five years. B'ionspráid di é bheith ag imirt nuair a thosaigh sí in Peamount le leithéidí Karen Duggan, Áine O'Gorman, agus Steph Roche. Thugadar an féin-mhuinín di go raibh sí ábalta imirt ar ard-chaighdeán.

"Cosúil le héinne óg bhí an tuarim agam gur mhaith liom bheith im imreoir proifisiúnta. Rith sé liom ag aois 15 nó 16 agus mé ag imirt le Peamount Seniors gur rud é go bhféadfainn a dhéanamh."

Then came the text from Vera Pauw. Already playing with the national team at Under-19 level, O'Hanlon was added to the senior squad. She won her first cap in April 2023 against the USA. Another huge step in the right direction.

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Bhíodh sí ag dul ar champaí traenáile as baile go minic leis an bhfoireann náisiúnta. Bhí struss ag baint leis sin mar go raibh sí imníoch fén obair scoile, ach bhí an scoil an-tacaíoch di. Chabhraigh siad léi an obair acadúil cuí a chlúdach. Bhí a tuismitheoirí á brú leis.

"It was my parents that had to push me and help me understand that I do need the backing of the Leaving Cert,