Halle Harcourt walks off Cup final still with confidence

In the aftermath of yesterday's Club Orange Women's FAI Cup final, Shelbourne's 16‑year‑old attacker Halle Harcourt met her friends and walked towards The Square shopping centre still wearing her matchday jersey. She had starred in the Reds' 3‑1 defeat of Athlone Town, opening the scoring in front of Republic of Ireland boss Carla Ward, who watched from the stands.

Harcourt said the experience felt amazing, adding she entered the game with confidence and simply expressed herself on the pitch. She admitted she could not recall the moment she struck the goal, remembering only the rush of celebration afterwards. "I didn't think of it as a final, just another game," she explained, noting it helped her stay calm.

Tallaght crowd backs the teen

Around fifty friends and family turned up in Tallaght, creating a lively atmosphere for the young Dubliner. Harcourt described the support as a "sweet day for Shels", praising the close‑knit environment at the club.

Coaches and teammates sing her praises

Skipper Pearl Slattery called Harcourt "a good personality" and a "top, top player" who "rocks into training" and "will go all the way". Alex Kavanagh, who collected the player‑of‑the‑match award, said Harcourt’s work rate and attitude were "top notch" and that she would "go all the way 100 %".

Slattery also recalled Harcourt’s early impact, noting she rolled Kayleigh Shine twice in the first five minutes, unsettling the experienced centre‑half and setting the tone for Shelbourne’s dominance.

The academy product’s breakthrough campaign has impressed everyone, with her confidence and fearlessness described as beyond her years.