Abbie Larkin is a name to remember.
The Shelbourne teenager scored her first international goal against Georgia on Monday, in what was just her fourth senior international cap. On the other side of the coin, veteran defender Niamh Fahey also bagged her first Ireland goal on her 104th appearance.
“She’s only 17-years-old, but I hope that everybody has seen how talented she is,” said Vera Pauw on young Abbie Larkin. “She needs to go a long way, we take it easy, but it’s fantastic what she did today on the pitch and we had full confidence to take the decision to put her on.”
17-year old Abbie Larkin bagged her first senior international goal for Ireland. A day that will live long in memory for the @shelsfc star. ⚽
“She’s only 17-years-old, I hope that everybody has seen how talented she is,” Vera Pauw.
The future of Irish football is bright. ⭐ pic.twitter.com/IEBNZWKuwP
— Her Sport (@HerSportDotIE) June 28, 2022
Larkin just finished fifth year in Ringsend College. Should Ireland qualify for the 2023 World Cup, the tournament will start just weeks after she sits her Leaving Cert!
It’s been a rapid rise for the Shelbourne striker. At U17 level, the Ringsend forward captained the team during their 2022 UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship qualification campaign.
In February this year, Larkin received her first senior call up aged 16-years-old. At the time the young player needed permission from her parents to miss school and travel for the 2022 Pinatar Cup in Murcia. Larkin received her first cap against Russia in a 1-0 defeat..
It was a fitting moment for Abbie Larkin as her Shelbourne teammate and Ireland camp roommate, Jess Ziu assisted her goal. Ziu was first called up to the national team back in 2018 when she too was just 16-years-old. The midfielder has earned 10 caps, and her assist on Larkin’s goal against Georgia was her first. Ziu will be making a move across the waters at club level where she has just signed for West Ham.
The pair are still very young, but according to Vera Pauw, the two are very much players of the present.