"This is the best day of my life in terms of what we have done for football, but when you look at the bigger picture, we don't scratch the surface of what happened there on Friday."
It was a goal for 10 people who are no longer with us. A goal for a country and a village.
The strike that sent the Republic of Ireland to the World Cup will go down in history, but it is also a striking example of tragedy and loss.
Ten people lost their lives when a gas explosion ripped through the village of Creeslough. The core of Irish society has been affected by it.
The first funerals were held on Tuesday. It was a woman from Donegal who made history.
It was fitting that the final say on a historic night was taken by a man from just 25 minutes away.
As she kissed the black armband on her left arm, she was embraced by the piles of orange shirts who raced with her to the corner.
She had tears in her eyes at the end of the game and was wrapped in the county flag.
I can't say anything about it. There has been a lot of sadness about me over the last few days.
"This result, this game, that goal, this award, I'm dedicating it to those 10 beautiful souls who sadly died on Friday."
I know they made a difference in their families. They did touch ours.
It's difficult to say how close-knit the communities are in the north-west of Ireland.
They are brought closer together when tragedy strikes.
I know the name of the place. She said that her grandparents were born and bred in the area.
I spent my formative years there and go back every summer and Christmas. My uncle lives in the area.
I know people who were affected by the tragedy. People were first at the scene of the tragedy.
She admits that her goal was a "toe poke" on the pitch just six minutes into the game.
The hosts somehow came out of a goalmouth scramble on the stroke of half-time after a first-half penalty was saved by the home team's goalkeeper.
After collecting O' Sullivan's superb through ball, she took one touch away from her marker and poked the ball into the bottom corner.
It was the longest 20 minutes of my life. The forward said he kept checking the clock.
Since the game ended, I've said it a hundred times. I don't know what happened.
I can't believe it, but seeing the people who have traveled here, seeing the people at home who are watching, this is for them."
It's for all the young kids. I'm so proud to be a part of this team, they have something to dream about.
There is a place on the plane to Australia and New Zealand. For someone who said she was lost for words at the beginning of the interview, she had certainly found her feet as she referred to Vera Pauw.
That's up to Vera now." She should put me on the plane if she wants to win the World Cup.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
