Eve Badana has praised fellow Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Grace Moloney as her club and international career continues to go from strength-to-strength.
The 27-year-old DLR Waves goalkeeper has been recalled into the Republic of Ireland squad by head coach Vera Pauw for this month’s international friendly double-header against Iceland and Badana now finds herself competing for the number one jersey alongside full-time goalkeepers Moloney and Courtney Brosnan.
Speaking to FAWSL Full-Time in an FAI press conference, Badana praised international teammate Moloney for continuing to hit new heights for club and country at the end of what many see as her best season to date.
“Looking at Grace and how she has performed at club level and on the international stage, not just in the recent weeks and months but over years, she has enjoyed a career that keeps elevating year after year;” Badana said. “She has set the bar (for the Republic of Ireland goalkeeping jersey).”
“I have my own goals to work on to set my standards just as high and I am striving to reach them.
“The goalkeepers that I am training alongside (Moloney and Brosnan) are nothing short of spectacular so it is good to have them as icons to keep pushing.”
Badana made her senior debut for the Republic of Ireland in 2012 at a time that Arsenal legend Emma Byrne was a prominent figure in the team. Badana went on to highlight the high standards which Byrne set for the Republic of Ireland’s goalkeepers whilst acknowledging the roles which both Moloney and Brosnan have played in carrying her legacy forward into the current era.
She added “Since my first call-up almost a decade ago, one thing that has been consistent is the quality of goalkeeping. It is really encouraging to see that, Ireland are really great at producing world-class goalkeepers on the women’s and men’s sides.
“When I first came in, Emma Byrne was the pinnacle of everything to aspire to be as a young goalkeeper and it is great to see that Grace, Courtney and Marie (Hourihane) have really taken that and kept the trend going.
“It is encouraging and I am humbled to learn from them and to be training alongside them.”
The Republic of Ireland face Iceland in two fixtures in Reykjavik. The first game takes place on Friday before the two sides meet again next Tuesday.