Offaly family Down Under meets Ireland soccer star

THINGS might not have gone so well on the pitch for the Republic of Ireland women's soccer team in the World Cup but that didn't stop an Offaly family from enjoying a meeting with one of the star players in Australia.

Cathy Wilson, a daughter of Frank and Marita Nicholson from Tullamore, was delighted to bump into Ireland's attacking midfielder Marissa Sheva before Monday's match against Nigeria.

Cathy has been living in Brisbane for about 10 years and US-based professional player Marissa happily posed for a picture with Cathy and her daughters Maeve, who was appropriately clad in a shamrock dress, and Feena.

The Ireland squad is on its way home this week after losing to Australia and Canada in the first two matches but the Girls in Green signed off the campaign with pride by holding last 16 qualifiers Nigeria to a scoreless draw.