As Shelbourne prepare for their third women's FAI Cup final in a row, this is something that Jemma Quinn could only have imagined years ago.
Frustrated by the lack of progress in the women's game, Quinn quit football, and admitted she lost interest in the sport.
After taking a nine-year break from the game, the 32-year-old made her comeback to football in 2022, as she helped Shelbourne to the double in her first season.
FAI Cup
In a repeat of last year's final against Athlone Town, Quinn told Breakingnews.ie she couldn't have imagined preparing for an FAI Cup final when she left the sport.
"If you back to before I joined Killester Donnycarney, if you told me I would be even playing football I would have laughed at you, never mind playing League of Ireland and going into a second FAI Cup final or playing Champions League.
"This has been a big surprise for me, as much as it is for some people who know me who have seen me coming back. It has been an amazing and crazy experience."
In a year where women's football in Ireland has made history, it is easy for some people top forget where it came from. For players like Jemma, who have taken the road less travelled, her experience of the game growing up shows how far the game has come.
"The difference is massive, the scale is between hot and cold. When I was growing up, there was no incentive for us to play, you would be lucky what day you were playing or what time and what league you were in.
"That was one of the reasons i left. In terms of the amount of girls and women playing football, it has changed dramatically, but the biggest change has been the standard, and how good they are today.
"That was the biggest surprise when I went to Shels. When I stopped playing football, I stopped watching football, I didn't really have any interest in at all. I didn't know any of the clubs around the place or know anything about the League of Ireland. Even when I joined Shels, I didn't know anything about it.
"When I first went training, the first smack in the face I got was how far they've come, and how talented they are now.
“The standard has just risen dramatically. There's more girls that have taken an interest, there is pathways to go professional.
"I was completely out of my depth when I first went training, I was thinking maybe this wasn't for me. What kept me coming back was seeing how good the kids were, and seeing how good the standard was, I was thinking this is amazing, I have to be apart of this."
Key to Quinn coming to Shelbourne was manager Noel King, with this weekend's final his last game in charge of the club. During his time in charge, he has guided Shelbourne to two league titles and two FAI Cups, and will be hoping to add a third in Tallaght Stadium.
For Jemma, ending King's time in charge with another trophy would be the perfect send-off.
"Not many managers come in for three years and leave each season with silverware. It would be great for his final year to come out as a winner, especially on his final day of the season.
"I used to play Noel years ago when I was 14 or 15, so to come back to play for him at this age is a bit ironic. It's a bit cool, I would love to see him come away with a win.
"I don't think I would have got this opportunity if it wasn't for Noel. When I come back and look at these two years, if Noel wasn't beside me, I probably would never have got this opportunity."
Despite coming into the game late, Jemma hasn't looked out of place, as she scored six goals to help Shelbourne to a second place finish, four points behind winners Peamount United, despite losing key players.
It may not be the traditional route into sport, but Quinn hopes people can take inspiration from her story and follow their passion, regardless of their age.
"We all gather inspiration from different things around us. Some people take it from sport, some people take it from people, some people take it from education.
"The best thing you can do for anyone in this world is help in some sort of way. If what I have done, can give anybody even the incentive to go back and even just do a bit of running and even start looking after themselves. It doesn't even have to be football, it can be anything in order to get them moving again or give themselves some self-confidence."
"I would love for girls and lads to be able to look at it, and it's not impossible, and to be able to think you are not too old or past your time. If you work hard on something, you can make whatever you want it to be. You just have to prioritise a little bit and know what you want to do."
By: Michael Bolton
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