Kelly Brady is in FAI Cup final action today for Athlone Town against Bohemians.
Athlone Town’s Kelly Brady(Image: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo)
Shortly before the Ireland squad for next week’s Nations League promotion/relegation play-off against Belgium was named, Kelly Brady was asked if her papers were in order.
“I have my passport and ready to go, just waiting on the call,” replied the US-born Athlone Town striker, whose Dad hails from Castleblaney in Co Monaghan and grandfather on her mum’s side is from Kinvara in Galway.
Brady was at Tallaght Stadium for the Women’s FAI Cup final media day, along with some teammates and a handful of players from Sunday’s opposition Bohemians.
Just wait a few hours, joked one member of the media to the league’s top scorer with 20 goals this year, and make the case to Carla Ward yourself.
That’s because Ward was due in Tallaght later that day to confirm her squad.
A family emergency meant that the former Aston Villa boss would lean on her assistant Alan Mahon to deliver the news, which he did soon after the Athlone and Bohs contingent cleared out.
Brady’s name wasn’t one of the 24, but she, and Shamrock Rovers defender Maria Reynolds were both named on standby, and were invited to train with the squad next week.
It’s a step in the right direction for a player with a thick American accent, but with as strong a connection to these shores as any member of the diaspora.
There is no doubting Brady’s Irish-ness. She grew up playing Gaelic football with Rockland GAA Club in New York, although she hasn’t taken it back up since her move to the midlands.
“Not since I came over and played in the Feile when I was 14,” she told Off The Ball this week.
She added: “I would love to play but I’ll have to have a chat with some people about that!”
This coming week will offer Brady an opportunity to impress the Ireland manager – both in Sunday’s Cup final and in the days after that at Abbotstown, ahead of Friday’s first-leg in the Aviva Stadium.
“I’m always hoping for that,” she said, when asked about the prospect of a call-up.
“Carla Ward, hopefully I’ve been under her radar being top scorer and she’s watching more talent in the league.
“I’m just always hopeful of getting the call and I’m hoping when I do get it I’ll be ready and good to go, and hopefully I can impress.”
Ward has taken a keen interest in the league here.
“I think she was just checking Athlone,” she said of a recent visit by Ward to the Women’s League of Ireland champions. “She is always keeping her eyes on the league.”
Brady has made a huge impact since her arrival in the League of Ireland.
She explained how the move came about, saying: “I was playing in college, I was at the University of Mississippi. The season ended and I knew I wanted to go into a professional setting.
“My agent had connections in Ireland and he mentioned Athlone. I did my research and saw they’d had great years previously, so felt it was something I wanted to be part of.
“Having family and friends in Ireland made the move easier. I came over last November to check it out and it felt homely. This was somewhere I wanted to be.”
She is no stranger to these shores.
“I’d been to both parts [Castleblaney and Kinvara] and all around the country before, playing soccer and GAA, and all that good stuff,” she said.
“I had no problems settling in. Also having a good few Americans on the team helped. It’s never boring.
“All the girls have been so welcoming. The coaching staff, everyone in the town has been so amazing.
“The club has been providing for us such great things, accommodation, all that stuff, right in town. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
Brady got to play in Athlone Town’s historic European run, which saw them beat Cardiff City (4-0) and Croatian side Agram (3-0) in the Champions League, before a defeat to Icelandic side Breidablik (1-3) ended their chances of progressing further.
They did pick up one more win, though, against Red Star Belgrade (2-0), before dropping into the Europa Cup, where Glasgow City beat them 3-0 at home and away.
Addressing her adjustment to the senior game, after her college career in the US, she said: “It’s definitely a different style in a lot of different aspects.
“It’s a very competitive league here. It’s also very competitive in America, just very different styles. But I think I was able to adjust well.
“Having that mix of Americans and native Irish girls, we mix so well together, bounce off each other and learn a lot from each other.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s final, Athlone Town are favourites to win – and to put right last year’s disastrous 6-1 defeat at the hands of Shelbourne.
“I’ve heard about it,” Brady said about the 2024 decider. “I wasn’t here. A couple of girls mentioned it but it’s just background noise now.
“We’ve another chance of winning the FAI Cup. Let’s put last year aside and prove everybody wrong by getting the job done.”
There is also the small matter of firing Athlone Town to their first ever league and cup double.
“Is it the first ever? Wow,” said Brady. “We just have to dig deep now. We have one more game left after having such a great year.
“It will be nice looking back to see how much history we made for the league and club.
“But we want more. We are always super hungry. One more game left and hopefully we can lift that trophy. It will be a tough one though.”
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