'It feels like a new start' - Niamh Fahey loving Irish return

Niamh Fahey is 36 years old and has 111 Republic for Ireland caps to her name, but this week feels like a new beginning for the Liverpool defender.

A mainstay in the Irish back line for so long, Fahey hasn't kicked a ball for her country since last summer's World Cup in Australia.

A calf injury ruled her out of the early stages of the UEFA Nations League, with new recruit Cailtin Hayes emphatically filling the void in central defence as Ireland marched to six wins out of six.

Eaten bread is soon forgotten in the fickle, fast-moving world of football, but Fahey always had faith she'd get another chance to prove she has plenty left in the tank. Now back in the squad for the upcoming friendlies against Italy and Wales, she's relishing the opportunity to do just that.

"There will be a day [when I retire] I'm sure, but not yet," the Galway native said ahead of Friday's clash with the Italians in Florence.

"I got the call from Eileen a couple of days ago telling me I was back in, so I was absolutely buzzing. I had a bit of a rough time with injury after the World Cup and missed all the games. So I'm delighted to be back in. It's a fresh start with a new group. It's so fresh and new it feels like a new start for me also."

"It was an incredible experience I'm sure and I’ve heard a return is in the pipeline so fingers crossed."

For any player who has soldiered through difficult periods, as Fahey has certainly done with Ireland, this would be a very difficult time to walk away from the fold.

Ireland are bursting through barriers at a rate of knots as the qualty of the team and rapidly increasing interest levels take the women's game in this country to new heights.

Fahey missed the historic first appearance at the Aviva Stadium against