\u00a0One of the major positives from that day was the performance of City’s full back Zara Foley who was rightly praised in many quarters for her outstanding performance. City also finished the season in fourth place, the highest finish since the inaugural season of the Women\u2019s National League, with Foley a\u00a0<\/span>key figure<\/span>\u00a0in the team’s defence.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Despite being just eighteen years of age, Foley has been a mainstay in City\u2019s defence over the past two years but admits the FAI Cup final gave her and her teammates plenty to work on.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cI was very disappointed with the result<\/span>,\u201d she reflected.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>We were well in the game in the first half but I think we need to focus now on keeping that up for the full 90 minutes of games<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0It was such a learning curve because Peamount are a very good team and it was a big challenge for us. But if we can work towards getting the performance for the full 90 minutes we will be doing really well.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cI was happy with the way I performed myself and with the Irish management watching as well that\u2019s probably a good thing for me but I was very disappointed not to win the game. We did do well to keep them scoreless for the first 45 minutes but their experience showed particularly after they got the first goal, they just kept coming at us.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The average age of City\u2019s starting line up in their two WNL games so far this season is just 19.2 years of age, making them one of the youngest squads in the SSE Airtrcity Women\u2019s National League, however Foley and her team mates are not prepared to use their youth as an excuse when it comes to competing in the league.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cWe are very young as a squad, so we lack some of that experience that some other teams have but we are one of the teams that train most often in the league and that is standing to us<\/span>,\u201d she says.<\/span>\u00a0The coaches and players are putting in a lot of work and hopefully this season and over the next few seasons that work will pay off in matches.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cThe atmosphere in the team is good and we are taking every match as it comes and focusing on getting a result. All the teams in the league have improved so that is another challenge that we have to step up to and keep working hard ourselves and try to get results throughout the season.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cAs I said there is a great atmosphere and once you are relaxed as a player it makes a huge difference because there is nothing worse than being completely stressed and\u00a0<\/span>stuff and then you don\u2019t perform well, so when you are in a good environment your performance elevates. It is definitely good to have a good staff doing that.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe are hoping to move up the league and finish as one of the top teams in the league. There are obviously really good teams in the league but we would be hoping over time to be in the top three and then top two and even the top team.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Foley\u2019s introduction to Cork City FC came via the clubs schoolgirl\u2019s Academy which was launched in 2015. The majority of the club\u2019s current players at under 17 and under 19 squad have come through this Academy while a number of the current women\u2019s team also came through this pathway.<\/span>\u00a0Foley believes Cork City\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>girl Academy\u00a0<\/span>can be very valuable for young players who are looking to get some extra high level training to supplement\u00a0<\/span>their club training.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe Academy was great for me, I have some very good memories of going to the training sessions on Saturday mornings<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0she said<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>I do think it is great for players to go through the Academy set up. Obviously the local club\u2019s in Cork are great for building up the key skills but once you get to a certain stage you have to look at how you can go up through the ranks and the Academy is brilliant for that. When I was in the Academy I was able to train and play with Lakewood and then train with the Academy as well<\/span>, which was being run by R\u00f3n\u00e1n Collins then,\u00a0<\/span>and by the nature of\u00a0<\/span>an academy\u00a0<\/span>you are training with better players and the pace of the session is faster so it improves everything in your game from passing to awareness and so on.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0As well\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>s football Foley has a great love of art and has decided to pursue that\u00a0<\/span>love in her academics over the next couple of years<\/span>\u00a0having completed her leaving certificate\u00a0<\/span>in\u00a0<\/span>Ballincollig\u00a0<\/span>Community School in 2020.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI study Fine Art in Crawford Art College and there are a couple of times a year where it can be stressful to be playing and in college depending on what is happening in both especially with exams, but generally it is a nice combination<\/span>,\u201d she explained.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>I don\u2019t have long essays to write and stuff like that, it is more stuff that I love doing so it\u2019s not too stressful and it doesn\u2019t cause a lot of pressure.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI love animation but I went into Fine Art to learn more techniques and things like that and hopefully in the future I will go on and do more animation and learn about the specific animation form but that won\u2019t be for another while.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Eighteen year old\u00a0<\/span>Zara Foley\u00a0<\/span>has made herself an integral part of Cork City’s\u00a0<\/span>Women\u2019s National League side over the past two years<\/span>\u00a0having graduated from the club\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>schoolgirl\u2019s Academy\u00a0<\/span>and now she is hoping t<\/span>hat by<\/span>\u00a0continuing to perform<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for<\/span>\u00a0City\u00a0<\/span>and lead<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0the club\u00a0<\/span>to more success<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>she will be able to represent Ireland again in the near future.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0As an elite sportsperson Foley has been able to train and play the game she loves\u00a0<\/span>throughout<\/span>\u00a0the Covid-19 pandemic<\/span>, an opportunity she is greatly to have.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u201cI believe 100% that being able to play sport is very helpful to me<\/span>\u201d she said<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>Staying inside all the time can be a bit overwhelming and it can get into your head but being able to take that hour or two out and being able to meet up with your teammates and being able to play makes a huge difference. It is amazing that we have t<\/span>he<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>privilege<\/span>\u00a0to be able to go out and do that especially at the moment.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>Foley<\/span>, who<\/span>\u00a0has been involved in a number of Irish senior squads<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is hoping to add to her senior cap in the coming seasons<\/span>\u00a0and is prepared to put in the effort needed to compete at the highest level.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u201cI am hoping to get back in with the Irish senior team<\/span>,\u201d she says<\/span>. I am in with the home-based training squad now, but I am hoping to get into the squad and then\u00a0<\/span>idea<\/span>lly the starting line-up. I know to be at that level it takes a big effort and I think it makes a big difference going out and doing some\u00a0<\/span>extra training<\/span>\u00a0by yourself and working on things that you need to improve on as well as the team training. Going training with the team is<\/span>\u00a0primarily<\/span>\u00a0to improve you playing on the team, but I do think you need to take some extra time for yourself and do things like watching games back on\u00a0<\/span>Hudl<\/span>\u00a0and see what you need to improve on and try to perfect them then out by yourself. I think strength and conditioning is a huge part too so there is a huge part to do for yoursel<\/span>f<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cI would talk to\u00a0<\/span>R\u00f3n\u00e1n<\/span>\u00a0(Collins) and get feedback and if I was with the international team the manager would speak with\u00a0<\/span>R\u00f3n\u00e1n<\/span>\u00a0and he would then have a chat with me and tell me what I need to improve on and I will go away and work on them then. And to be fair the management would try to incorporate some of that stuff into training but I would also need to go and work on it myself.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Not surprisingly Foley has fond memories of her time in the Irish squad and has been impressed with the team<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s performances in recent games.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201c<\/span>The first time I got into the Irish senior squad was when we went to the Az<\/span>o<\/span>res<\/span>\u00a0to take on Portugal<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>I was fifteen<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0the next camp after that was World Cup qualifiers home and away against Norway<\/span>,\u201d she says<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0I was hoping to get my senior cap in one of those\u00a0<\/span>and if I did<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0I would have been the youngest\u00a0<\/span>female\u00a0<\/span>player to play for the\u00a0<\/span>Irish Senior\u00a0<\/span>team<\/span>\u00a0but unfortunately<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0I didn\u2019t<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>That October\u00a0<\/span>I did<\/span>\u00a0make my debut against Poland and I was sixteen.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>The first time I met up with the squad I was very young and\u00a0<\/span>going<\/span>\u00a0into a senior camp<\/span>\u00a0was incredible,\u00a0<\/span>I was star struck<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0The pace of the training games was so\u00a0<\/span>fast,<\/span>\u00a0and it was a great experience to play\u00a0<\/span>with and against such great players and to see<\/span>\u00a0how they operate<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>We lost 4-0 and I came on late in the game<\/span>\u00a0but the time I did get to be on the pitch for was unreal. To be able to play with and against such good players was a really great experience<\/span>. I didn\u2019t think I was going to go on at all. It kind of came out of nowhere, I was just warming up and I was relaxed because I didn\u2019t think I was coming on which is probably a good thing because I didn\u2019t have time to get nervous.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>I do get nervous before games if I\u2019m honest but\u00a0<\/span>for me nerves are a good thing and I try to use them in a positive way but for that particular time and the game that it was, I think it might have been better that I didn\u2019t know. After I went on, I realised what was after happening and obviously I was disappointed with the\u00a0<\/span>result,<\/span>\u00a0but I was so happy that I got to play.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Foley has been following the national team closely over the years and was impressed with what she saw in Ireland\u2019s recent friendlies against Denmark and Belgium particularly as the team were trying out different formations and as with many observers, one particular player stood.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>I think they did very well and the performances were very good.\u00a0<\/span>Definitely the 3-5-2 is a formation I like because I am a wing back. I love defending but I love being able to get forward and join the attack but four at the back can also be great it gives different options for attacking. It\u2019s good to see the international team trying out different formations and set ups and hopefully that could be good for me as I do see myself as being versatile as a player.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think Denise O\u2019Sullivan is one of the best women\u2019s players that we have ever had. Her skill is so good and just seeing her play football is unreal and if I could get up to that\u00a0<\/span>level,<\/span>\u00a0I would be\u00a0<\/span>deligheted<\/span>. She is definitely a player I would like to be able to play like and play with more often in the future.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cI have been in squads with her and she is class to play against and she is so good to learn from and see the level that she is at.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI would love to be able to combine playing soccer for Cork<\/span>\u00a0City<\/span>\u00a0with my art and I would love to be playing with Irish senior team as well. So, combining that level of playing soccer and with doing my art would be ideal.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/corkcityfc-posts.speiredev.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/1437696-scaled.jpeg\")
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