She came over expecting “muddy, sloppy pitches” pitches and physical style of football.
But World Cup winner and three-time Olympic gold medalist Heather O’Reilly has left believing women’s football in Ireland is on the cusp of something special.
And with the Girls in Green heading for a first ever World Cup appearance next summer, she says the time is right for the FAI and investors to take action.
O’Reilly came off the bench on Sunday to win her final medal in senior football - adding an FAI Cup winners’ prize to her long list of honours.
When she returns home to the USA, it will sit alongside her World Cup and Olympic medals, as well as Under-19 World Cup, WSL Cup and US club silverware.
Having retired from football in late 2019, she was famously encouraged to lace up her boots again by Arsene Wenger during an appearance last summer at a charity match in London.
She searched for a club where she could fulfil her dream of playing Champions League football and joined Shelbourne in time for their European adventure.
As she called time on her career for the second and final time, in the wake of Sunday’s win over Athlone Town, she reflected on her short time in Irish football.
O’Reilly said: “My takeaways are that the players here understand the game. They are really technical players.
“I was impressed with, I think, the composure on the ball and the willingness to be brave and to keep the ball.
“I think I had in mind a little bit more of muddy, sloppy pitches, and a really physical game.
“But I came over and everyone was really passing it around.
“So I think the potential is huge for Ireland to have a really high-quality league and a high-quality national team.
“For me to be in a non-paying environment, where people have jobs and they practice at night, that’s all new to me.
“I have to sometimes remind myself that this is amateur, as in these players do it for the love of the game and they work in other jobs too.
“We would be used to having some frills, but there are no frills here. But the essence of the game is there and the quality is there.
“With some investment I think it could take off even higher.
“I’m going to keep an eye on what the plan is for the year ahead, whether the FAI really take advantage of their women’s team being in the World Cup.
“They have a really great opportunity, so I hope that they use it wisely.”
Asked if the time was right for the FAI to strike, she replied: “I think so.
“I don’t want them to be reactionary to the World Cup. Really promote the team, promote the players.
“People love stars, they love fame. So promote some of these players. I know Katie McCabe gets elevated and Denise O’Sullivan too. These should be household names.
“Everybody’s television should be tuned in this summer. I think the foundation is there, I just hope they continue to chip away at it.”
O’Reilly’s motivation for returning to football was to finally play in the Champions League, something she didn’t manage to do during her spell at Arsenal.
Not only did she get to play in Europe’s top competition, but she scored the winner as Shelbourne saw off Slovenian side Pomurje in August.
She said: “I think it has been a real whirlwind of a year for me.
“Early in the year I gave birth to my little baby boy Jack. Coming out of retirement wasn’t on the mind.
“Then I played SoccerAid in the summer and was encouraged to maybe think about a comeback.
“I think life works funny at times. I try to do the right things, I try to be a good person, I try to work hard, I try to be a good teammate for every team that I’m on, and I think hopefully my past has spoken.
“When Noel (King) heard I was interested in maybe putting the boots back on, he encouraged me to come and said, ‘Listen, you can contribute anything to this already very solid and quality side, we would love to have you’.
“They have welcomed me with open arms. It’s obviously a very unique situation, just coming in for Champions League, leaving, coming back at the end, it’s not normal and I totally get that.
“But hey, if I was able to add one percent then I’m thrilled to be able to do that.
“I lived such a life-long dream to be able to play in the Champions League and I like winning things.
“I feel like I’m wrapping up my European experience in a positive light.
“I played at Arsenal for a year and a half and the way it wrapped up in the end, we didn’t make the Champions League, we didn’t win the league, and I always felt a little bit like I didn’t tie it up the way I would have liked. It always sat in a funny place with me.
“So here we are, a couple of years later, doing it the right way with Shelbourne.”
Meanwhile, O'Reilly has hailed Shelbourne’s young international stars - and has tipped another teammate to emerge as a candidate for a World Cup spot.
Teenagers Abbie Larkin and Jessie Stapleton are in Marbella with Vera Pauw’s Ireland squad this week for a training camp and friendly against Morocco.
And World Cup winner O’Reilly is in no doubt as to the quality that the pair possess.
However, she reckons Ireland boss Pauw should take a closer look at Shels full-back Jess Gargan.
“Abbie has a wonderful chance. She has a bright future. Obviously she is very good on the ball, fast, a quick dribbler,” said O’Reilly.
“Stapo in the middle is another great player.
“A player who I think flies under the radar a little bit is Jess Gargan. I really hope that she gets a look in, because I think she would be a wonderful addition to the World Cup squad, pushing on in the right-back position.
“I’m not the coach, but if I was she would be in my group.”
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