JAMIE FINN AND Emily Whelan were there for a good chunk of Shelbourne’s victorious 2021 Women’s National League campaign, but they watched the dramatic finish from afar.
The Irish international duo left the Reds this summer to join Women’s Super League side Birmingham City, missing out on the run-in, which also included an FAI Cup final defeat to Wexford Youths last night.
Together, in their apartment in Brum on league deciding night last Saturday, they double-screened Shels versus Wexford, and Peamount United’s clash with Galway.
Peas looked dead set for three in-a-row, but Galway’s remarkable 5-2 come-from-behind win at Greenogue paired with a 3-2 victory for Shelbourne meant that the silverware was lifted at an electric Tolka Park.
“Seeing Peamount go 2-0 up, we were like, ‘No, this is not gonna happen,’” Finn recalled today, speaking to the media ahead of the Girls In Green’s crucial World Cup qualifying double-header against Slovakia and Georgia.
“I went away, and I heard Emily screaming. Obviously, Galway scored and I was like, ‘No, surely not.’ And then, they scored another.
“Me and Emily were looking at each other like, ‘Pfft, league champions here… I think!’ Galway played out of their skin, what a performance. And then for Shelbourne to lift the trophy in Tolka Park, the stuff of dreams. I was absolutely delighted for them, it’s what they deserve.
“Obviously when myself and Emily were there, I think we had the potential to win the league and we always believed in it, but to do it like that was just something else.”
A lifelong Shelbourne fan, Finn speaks at length about her delight and happiness for those involved, but it’s fair to say it was a bittersweet night too.
She won’t deny that tinge of jealousy given the manner in which it all happened, but realises that she, and Whelan, played a massive part in the 2021 journey.
Shels’ legendary captain, Pearl Slattery — ”Someone I’ll always look up to,” Finn smiles — recognised just that in the immediate aftermath, which struck a chord. It all started for the 24-year-old with this special group, at Raheny United before their amalgamation with the Reds.
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“Shelbourne will always hold a place in my heart,” she beams. “I love the club to bits and it’s given me [so much].
“Obviously the career I have today, I wouldn’t be where I am without the club. It was a difficult decision [to leave] but one that I always wanted to take, to play professional football, so when it came about, I couldn’t turn it down.”
Finn in action for Shelbourne in August. Evan Treacy / INPHO
Evan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Part of a seven-strong Irish contingent at the Blues, Finn has hit the ground running and is playing regularly. She went there “wanting to show what I’m about” and prove herself in the starting XI, and has certainly done that, playing in several positions from right-back to right wing to central midfield.
(She, too, has been versatile for her country, and says that “wherever the manager wants to put me, I’ll play. I think that’s known; that I always give 100% wherever I am on the pitch. For me it’s just about being on the pitch and making sure I’m staying on it.”)
But a difficult run of results and recent changes have proved challenging.
Head coach Scott Booth was sacked last week, with Darren Carter announced as interim boss today. Off-field struggles were well documented last season, while BBC Sport reported that “members of the women’s set-up have still been made to feel ‘second-class’ within the club” in the wake of Booth’s departure.
Swords native Finn says that “from what I see,” there have been improvements, and welcomes the next chapter.
“I mean it’s not nice to see your manager go in that way,” she noted. “But they’ve already appointed the new manager, and listen, for me, it’s a time to impress again, to get to work and just show the new manager what I’m about and hopefully be on the teamsheet in the back end of the week, and continuing that.
“Obviously, last season wasn’t the best and everyone knew about that, but there has been improvements and hopefully now with the manager coming in, we can just hit the ground running and pick up points along the way and hopefully the results will come.”
Having the Irish contingent — headed up by Louise Quinn, “a great captain and leader on and off the pitch” — has been a huge positive for Finn in her new surroundings as she adjusts to life across the Irish Sea and full-time football in the WSL.
“It’s great obviously, you’re playing with those those players every week and it’s a positive for the national team as well that we’re playing together every week, getting to know each other and how we play,” she nods.
“The league is probably one of the best in Europe and maybe in the world. It’s a super league, the talent is incredible from all different teams. It’s been tough, but it’s what I always wanted: to test myself against the best players. It’s been good.”
Not only has Finn enjoyed a colourful club journey in 2021, it’s been a successful year on the international front as she established herself as a regular starter, and now one of Vera Pauw’s key players.
She broke into the starting XI in the November 2019 Euro qualifier away to Greece, and has been ever-present of late, sparkling in the opening World Cup qualifying clashes against Sweden and Finland last month.
Meeting Irish fans after the Sweden game last month. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
“It’s been great. Obviously to pull on the green green jersey, it’s been a dream since I was young. I played underage, all my career, and then there was a stint where I just didn’t get into senior team. I always pushed and pushed, and hoped to get back in.
“That was a dream, and I did against Greece, so that was amazing and something I’ll never forget. But I always wanted to stay in the squad then and prove that I deserve to be here.”
Now, it’s about driving on and continuing to take steps towards qualifying for a first-ever major tournament. Maximum points against lower-ranked Slovakia and Georgia at Tallaght Stadium on Thursday and Tuesday are going to be key to keep that dream alive.
“Obviously with the Finland win away from home, we need to take that momentum into these games,” she concludes.
“And that performance that we that we showed against them, and hopefully get the three points in the this first game, and then move on. Taking it game by game, really just staying positive and the results will come hopefully.
“We always go into games [with] 100% attitude and and work ethic. We just need to be positive going in and hoping that we get the six points.”
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Watching Shels scenes from new Birmingham home, a stunning Irish rise and challenging club move
JAMIE FINN AND Emily Whelan were there for a good chunk of Shelbourne’s victorious 2021 Women’s National League campaign, but they watched the dramatic finish from afar.
The Irish international duo left the Reds this summer to join Women’s Super League side Birmingham City, missing out on the run-in, which also included an FAI Cup final defeat to Wexford Youths last night.
Together, in their apartment in Brum on league deciding night last Saturday, they double-screened Shels versus Wexford, and Peamount United’s clash with Galway.
Peas looked dead set for three in-a-row, but Galway’s remarkable 5-2 come-from-behind win at Greenogue paired with a 3-2 victory for Shelbourne meant that the silverware was lifted at an electric Tolka Park.
“Seeing Peamount go 2-0 up, we were like, ‘No, this is not gonna happen,’” Finn recalled today, speaking to the media ahead of the Girls In Green’s crucial World Cup qualifying double-header against Slovakia and Georgia.
“I went away, and I heard Emily screaming. Obviously, Galway scored and I was like, ‘No, surely not.’ And then, they scored another.
“Me and Emily were looking at each other like, ‘Pfft, league champions here… I think!’ Galway played out of their skin, what a performance. And then for Shelbourne to lift the trophy in Tolka Park, the stuff of dreams. I was absolutely delighted for them, it’s what they deserve.
“Obviously when myself and Emily were there, I think we had the potential to win the league and we always believed in it, but to do it like that was just something else.”
A lifelong Shelbourne fan, Finn speaks at length about her delight and happiness for those involved, but it’s fair to say it was a bittersweet night too.
She won’t deny that tinge of jealousy given the manner in which it all happened, but realises that she, and Whelan, played a massive part in the 2021 journey.
Shels’ legendary captain, Pearl Slattery — ”Someone I’ll always look up to,” Finn smiles — recognised just that in the immediate aftermath, which struck a chord. It all started for the 24-year-old with this special group, at Raheny United before their amalgamation with the Reds.
“Shelbourne will always hold a place in my heart,” she beams. “I love the club to bits and it’s given me [so much].
“Obviously the career I have today, I wouldn’t be where I am without the club. It was a difficult decision [to leave] but one that I always wanted to take, to play professional football, so when it came about, I couldn’t turn it down.”
Part of a seven-strong Irish contingent at the Blues, Finn has hit the ground running and is playing regularly. She went there “wanting to show what I’m about” and prove herself in the starting XI, and has certainly done that, playing in several positions from right-back to right wing to central midfield.
(She, too, has been versatile for her country, and says that “wherever the manager wants to put me, I’ll play. I think that’s known; that I always give 100% wherever I am on the pitch. For me it’s just about being on the pitch and making sure I’m staying on it.”)
But a difficult run of results and recent changes have proved challenging.
Head coach Scott Booth was sacked last week, with Darren Carter announced as interim boss today. Off-field struggles were well documented last season, while BBC Sport reported that “members of the women’s set-up have still been made to feel ‘second-class’ within the club” in the wake of Booth’s departure.
Swords native Finn says that “from what I see,” there have been improvements, and welcomes the next chapter.
“I mean it’s not nice to see your manager go in that way,” she noted. “But they’ve already appointed the new manager, and listen, for me, it’s a time to impress again, to get to work and just show the new manager what I’m about and hopefully be on the teamsheet in the back end of the week, and continuing that.
“Obviously, last season wasn’t the best and everyone knew about that, but there has been improvements and hopefully now with the manager coming in, we can just hit the ground running and pick up points along the way and hopefully the results will come.”
Having the Irish contingent — headed up by Louise Quinn, “a great captain and leader on and off the pitch” — has been a huge positive for Finn in her new surroundings as she adjusts to life across the Irish Sea and full-time football in the WSL.
“It’s great obviously, you’re playing with those those players every week and it’s a positive for the national team as well that we’re playing together every week, getting to know each other and how we play,” she nods.
“The league is probably one of the best in Europe and maybe in the world. It’s a super league, the talent is incredible from all different teams. It’s been tough, but it’s what I always wanted: to test myself against the best players. It’s been good.”
Not only has Finn enjoyed a colourful club journey in 2021, it’s been a successful year on the international front as she established herself as a regular starter, and now one of Vera Pauw’s key players.
She broke into the starting XI in the November 2019 Euro qualifier away to Greece, and has been ever-present of late, sparkling in the opening World Cup qualifying clashes against Sweden and Finland last month.
“It’s been great. Obviously to pull on the green green jersey, it’s been a dream since I was young. I played underage, all my career, and then there was a stint where I just didn’t get into senior team. I always pushed and pushed, and hoped to get back in.
“That was a dream, and I did against Greece, so that was amazing and something I’ll never forget. But I always wanted to stay in the squad then and prove that I deserve to be here.”
Now, it’s about driving on and continuing to take steps towards qualifying for a first-ever major tournament. Maximum points against lower-ranked Slovakia and Georgia at Tallaght Stadium on Thursday and Tuesday are going to be key to keep that dream alive.
“Obviously with the Finland win away from home, we need to take that momentum into these games,” she concludes.
“And that performance that we that we showed against them, and hopefully get the three points in the this first game, and then move on. Taking it game by game, really just staying positive and the results will come hopefully.
“We always go into games [with] 100% attitude and and work ethic. We just need to be positive going in and hoping that we get the six points.”
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Bittersweet bittersweet symphony Ireland WNT Jamie Finn