There were whispers among fans the Ireland team would show up for a get together at the official Fifa fan zone in Brisbane, in advance of their final World Cup match against Nigeria on Monday.
Braving the scorching winter sun, hundreds of fans showed up, hoping to meet the players and turn the riverside area of the city green.
The rumours were true. The Ireland players had shown up to sign autographs, pose for photos and thank supporters who had followed them from Sydney, Perth and now to Brisbane.
Speaking to the crowd, captain Katie McCabe said Brisbane, where the team were based between games, felt like a second home. “It’s unbelievable to see how green this fan zone is here today,” McCabe said.
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Although McCabe said the players and staff have to go quiet on social media during the tournament, the support hasn’t gone unnoticed.
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“We see it all. We see all the craic outside the pub. We see you having a laugh. We feel it when we’re on the pitch when you cheer us on, when you keep singing and keep us going for 90 minutes long so it means a lot to us,” McCabe said. “You are our twelfth player when we’re out there tomorrow night. We love you so much and we all appreciate everything you do so thank you.”
After two losses ended their chances of advancing to the final 16 stage, Ireland faces a “skilful, powerful” Nigeria, manager, Vera Pauw, said.
“We will be ready for battle. It will be a battle because that is Nigeria,” Pauw told the crowd.
The atmosphere was relaxed and celebratory. The supporters’ focus is on giving the team a proper send-off, amid hopes of ending the tournament on a high with a win against Nigeria.
“We’re out but we’re still here. It’s disappointing. We were really hoping that there would be something riding on the last game but, you know what, we know it’s our last game so it’s more of a party atmosphere,” said Oisin Mistéil, from Co Dublin, who had flown over to follow the team.
Mistéil and his girlfriend, Orlaith Doherty, from Co Longford, had dreams of travelling around Australia in a camper van convoy of Irish fans, akin to the European Championship in Stuttgart in 1988.
Given the distance between match destinations and plenty of interstate flights, the convoy part of the dream didn’t quite materialise. The couple managed to cover an impressive swathe of Australia’s east coast, however, as well as seeing Ireland play Australia in Sydney and, now, Nigeria in Brisbane.
All they want to listen to on the road is analysis of the matches and updates on the team.
“Any scrap we can get about the Irish team, we’ll listen. We love it. We can’t get enough,” Mistéil said. “We’re running around getting autographs like seven-year-old girls,” he said, pointing to their jerseys that had just been signed by multiple players.
Doherty said her knowledge of the Ireland team has grown exponentially, thanks, in part, to seasoned fans who they’ve met along the way. “There’s a great sense of camaraderie with the fans who have travelled around for the games. That’s been really nice to be a part of,” she said. “This whole experience has locked me in as a long-term, travelling Ireland fan,” Doherty said.
Nicola Holly, from Tralee but living in Brisbane for 13 years, is the president of the Irish Australian Support Association of Queensland, which organised the event.
She said the Irish-Australian community in Brisbane has been keen to make the team feel welcome and at home throughout their stay.
“There’s been such a big civic pride within Brisbane. I think that pride was demonstrated by people turning up today,” Holly said.
“It meant the world to people today to be able to see them in the flesh.”
Holly says the focus among the Irish community in Brisbane now is to bid farewell to the team before they leave for home later this week. “It’s just a nice send off for them,” she said.
Nicole Bennett, from Limerick; Lauren Keane, from Clare; and Amber Kenny, from Tipperary, travelled over for the games and met playing football back home.
The fact that Ireland is out of the tournament is disappointing but the team has done so much for the future of the sport, they all agreed.
“It’s so Irish. We’re backing the girls all the way. It doesn’t matter where they finish or what happens. We’re just immensely proud,” Bennett said.
“We’re breaking boundaries and I think more and more girls are starting to play football at home and they can see obviously where they can be,” Keane said.
“Back in my own club, there was a big screening and to see all the little girls out screaming, shouting for the girls was amazing. I think it’s just something to look up to now,” Bennett said.
A win against Nigeria tomorrow would certainly send the green army home on a high.
