For Shamrock Rovers defender Maria Reynolds, a missed phone call quickly turned into the moment she had been working towards her entire life.

Currently in camp with the Republic of Ireland Women's National Team as they prepare for a crucial double-header against Poland, Reynolds is still taking in the experience of her first-ever senior international call-up.

Her inclusion is a reward for a fantastic start to the season with Shamrock Rovers, where her performances have caught the eye of Head Coach Carla Ward. But as Reynolds explains, she nearly missed the good news.

"I actually missed the phone call!" she laughed. "I was in training, and I saw the name 'Carla Ward' on my phone. I think you can imagine all the emotions were running through my head. I gave her a call back as quick as possible; I was almost shaking on the phone. She gave me the news that she was going to give me my first call-up."

For the young midfielder, it was a moment of pure shock and elation.

"I think I went through about 100 different ranges of emotions," she explained. "It was just absolute shock because you don't really imagine that it's going to come around that quickly. It's something that I've wanted since I was a little girl. To finally get that call-up... I think it's a call that every footballer aspires to get."

Now part of the WNT group with the Ireland stars, Reynolds has been impressed by the welcoming environment in the senior camp.

"I'm really enjoying it. To be honest, all the players have been so welcoming. I think the group is really together. From the outside, it's almost so daunting because they are world-class players, but when you come in, you realise they're just real humans. They've been amazing with me."

Upon receiving the news, Reynolds’ thoughts immediately turned to those who helped her on her journey — a journey deeply rooted in the domestic game.

"I just 100% thought about my family and my club. They've been amazing with me and have really set me up for this. It's very evident in how I speak about Rovers how much I love them," she said, also giving credit to her former clubs and managers.

"There were so many people that helped me along the way. I was sure to text a lot of them and make sure that they know how grateful I am for their support."

Reynolds and the rest of the squad are now fully focused on the two crucial upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup European Qualifiers against Poland. The team will first travel to Gdansk on Tuesday, April 14, before returning to the Aviva Stadium for the home fixture on Saturday, April 18.

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