Brosnan 'so lucky' to work with 'best ever' Byrne

Courtney Brosnan has said she is feeling extremely proud ahead of winning a 50th cap for the Republic of Ireland this week, with the moment set to be extra special when it takes place against her birth country the USA.

The 29-year-old made her debut five years ago and has become a mainstay for the Girls in Green.

Born in New Jersey but of Irish descent, there was interest from both countries when it came to her future in international football.

Playing for USA at Under-23 level may have offered an indication of who would win.

However, it was the close ties to the Irish side of her heritage that helped sway Brosnan's decision.

"Deep down I kind of always knew, and my family knew, that it was always going to be Ireland for me," she told RTÉ Sport's Tony O'Donoghue ahead of Friday's game (2:07am kick-off).

"I think just how special it is for my grandparents and for my Dad and for my family that I play for Ireland."

Emma Byrne coaching the Irish goalkeepers in Cork earlier this month

Working under goalkeeping coach Emma Byrne, she feels that is particularly poignant, recognising the stature and impact of those that have come before her.

"It's a really proud moment for me and for my family. To be among the group of players who have reached 50, with some absolute legends of the team, current and past, I think it's really special to be named amongst them.

"I feel so lucky to be able to work with Emma and to learn from her every day in camp.

"You get to learn from the best goalkeeper to ever play for the team, so I think that's really special for me to have someone that has been in my shoes and knows exactly what it takes in these games.

"When I think back to watching her as a kid and seeing her for the national team and for Arsenal, her presence was unbelievable.

"She's one of, if not the best, shot stopper that I've ever seen.

"Her presence is something that I really try to implement into my game as well."

The highlight of her time in the green shirt has been saving Caroline Weir's penalty in the play-off with Scotland that led to qualification for the World Cup.

That tournament also brought huge highs, but it has not been smooth sailing since.

Carla Ward is in the dugout now and attempting to steer Ireland back to the World Cup in 2028.

End-of-season friendlies are normally not something to get overly excited by. The players will watch on with envy as the European Championships begin next month.

But the milestone and the chance to come up against the outstanding team in the game is something to relish, according to the Everton goalkeeper.

It also provides the opportunity for her family to be present on two big occasions, starting with Denver in the early hours of Friday morning before moving on to Cincinatti on Sunday.

"I think we're in a unique position right now with these friendlies.

"It's a great opportunity for us to continue to build with the squad that we have and push to where we want to be. It’s a great to challenge ourselves against the best team.

"We know the threats that they possess going forward and how good they are defensively.

"It’s really special for me. There's nothing I love more than playing for Ireland. Something that is hard for me is a lot of my family live in the States.

"It's difficult for them because, if they could, they would come out to literally every single game I play.

"That is obviously not possible with the flights, the work schedule and the price.

"With the games a little bit closer to them, it's easier for my family to get out and to support me. I feel really grateful that they can be here."

Watch USA v Republic of Ireland on Friday from 2am on RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app

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