Kelly Brady club future 'up in the air' ahead of Ireland call-up
Michael Bolton
With 26 goals to help Athlone Town win the League and Cup double, Kelly Brady is a woman in form.
The 23-year-old's performances have been recognised by manager Carla Ward, as she is included in the Republic of Ireland squad for a training camp which will end with a friendly against Hungary.
The sole representative from the League of Ireland, the striker made an impression on Ward when she attended the FAI Cup final, scoring a hat-trick in Tallaght Stadium.
Speaking to Breakingnews.ie, she says the success of Athlone was hard to ignore.
"I think Athlone did so well; it was kind of hard to ignore how well we did this year.
"It just goes to show how much talent there is in the league. We were able to do the double; thankfully, she was there to see that. I guess the hat-trick kind of helped.
"I do get what they are saying about the League of Ireland. It is part-time, and it might be a hard adjustment for me to get on a full-time squad.
"She said during the final that I am well able, and I think a bunch of the girls in the league are, too. Hopefully, we can prove the League of Ireland has great players."
It was a season that will be remembered for years to come for Athlone, with Kelly named the Player of the Year for her performances.
The double, combined with a run in Europe that almost saw group stage football, Brady paid tribute to her teammates, especially to Athlone's defence.
"I had a great deal of support behind me on the field; the rest of the 10 girls, I couldn't have done it without them.
"You've got to score to win games, but our defence really held us down back there. We had the most clean sheets; our defence was phenomenal.
"We have two of the best wingers in the league, either side of me putting balls in. You just hope you are in the right place at the right time as a striker. "
At the time of writing, Brady is a free agent, with her future unclear.
She confirmed she has had trials with Crystal Palace, but would be happy to re-sign with Athlone, where she has been successful and very happy with the direction the club is going in.
"I went on trial in England and got some positive feedback. I don't know what the future holds right now; everything is still up in the air, and I have time to decide.
"I was over at Crystal Palace trialling, we will see how that goes. There is no rushing it; whatever happens will happen.
"I would love to re-sign with Athlone. They are a great team, we are only on the come up with new owners and new management and how they want to run the place.
"It would be great to come back to Athlone.
