C
ourtney Brosnan stood between a Caroline Weir penalty kick and potential 1-0 Scotland lead.
It was a win-or-go-home playoff game for a place in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup when Ireland conceded a penalty kick after a handball in the 12th minute. Weir approached and struck the ball to her right, but Brosnan, the Irish goalie, parried the effort away.
The save proved differential as Ireland defeated Scotland 1-0 to qualify for its first-ever World Cup.
“It was a really special night for me in Scotland to be able to do something so directly to help the team win,” Brosnan said about her penalty save in an interview with Irish Football Fan TV.
Brosnan, a former Syracuse women’s soccer player, will likely start against Canada — which also features former SU goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx — on July 26 in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. During her time at Syracuse, Brosnan finished as the program’s all-time saves leader (344) and third in shutouts (18). In her professional career, Brosnan has spent time in France and England since 2017 and played an integral role in Ireland’s qualification.
Brosnan, born over 3,000 miles from Dublin, in Millburn, New Jersey, chose to represent Ireland as a youth prospect, appearing for its U-17 and U-19 teams. She was eligible to play for the country due to her grandparents’ Irish descent.
In 2020, she made her international debut for Ireland during a 3-0 win over Montenegro and has since cemented her place as the No. 1 goalkeeper. In 2022, Brosnan won the Football Association of Ireland Women’s Player of the Year, becoming the first goalie to earn the honor since 2012.
“It’s unbelievable to get the opportunity to play for Ireland, it’s hard to put into words how much it means to me and my family,” Brosnan said in an interview with Everton.com.
Brosnan has an “Irish sense of humor” and “wit,” according to Mike O’Neill, who coached Brosnan at Players Development Academy, a New Jersey youth soccer club. O’Neill, who’s now the women’s soccer head coach at Rutgers, said it was those characteristics which allowed her to fit in wherever she went.
“If Courtney had to make a friend she could go to the local Starbucks and make one,” O’Neill said. “‘Would I ever think Courtney would have a hard time fitting in?’ Not a chance…she’s a heck of a player, but she’s a better person.”
From day one at Syracuse, Brosnan wasn’t afraid to be herself. She had a unique pregame ritual. Nobody remembers how it started, but as music blasted through the locker room during her freshman season, Brosnan got in the middle and started to flap her arms up and down.
The dance, dubbed “The Bird,” became a common occurrence before the team took the field.
“It just clicked with basically the whole team,” said Maya Pitts, former Syracuse midfielder and defender. “We allowed her to be herself and she just kind of took it and rolled with it and she just excelled.”
Annette Cappellino, Brosnan’s backup in 2016, said she treated every practice like her starting spot was on the line. Brosnan’s mentality didn’t allow her to take anything for granted.
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“She’s very strong in that aspect where she doesn’t harp on things,” Cappellino said. “She just kind of moves along and learns from when something happens and kind of moves forward.”
Brosnan gave Syracuse a different dynamic through its second year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Pitts said. The goalie consistently communicated with her backline making sure they were in the right position, said Jessica Vigna, another former Syracuse defender.
Vigna also played with Brosnan for PDA and was comfortable knowing she was in net. The two were part of a formidable team which won three Elite Clubs National League Championships, coached by O’Neill.
Brosnan shared minutes in net with current USA Women’s National Team goalie Casey Murphy. Both played a half every game, but pushed each other to be the best they could, according to O’Neill.
O’Neill met Brosnan when she was 11 years old. He explained soccer’s cutthroat nature as a pyramid. As players get older, the best players rise to the top. Brosnan was one of the risers.
“She made the saves that not too many others could, which is what separates you at this level,” O’Neill said. “You’ve got to do your job but you’ve got to come up with some big saves and she was able to do that throughout her journey and whether for club, college, or the national team.”
In the 2021-22 season, Brosnan was the backup for Everton in the Women’s Super League, but started the last three games of the season. She performed well enough to earn a one-year extension in June 2022, establishing herself as the team’s starting goalie. Brosnan told the Irish media that getting minutes at the club level was important to keep her fresh for the international level.
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This season Brosnan made 18 appearances for Everton with 14 coming in the Women’s Super League. She led Everton to a sixth-place finish and started in the Toffees’ 3-0 away win over Liverpool. Her former teammate, Pitts, was in attendance.
Pitts had goosebumps watching Brosnan play in front of nearly 30,000 people. Although she was working for the LFC Foundation and decked out in red, Pitts couldn’t contain her excitement every time Brosnan made a big save.
“Whenever Courtney would make a save, I quietly said ‘yes’ and pumped my fists,” Pitts said. “She made a big save and I stood up and said to myself ‘can’t do that.’”
The next month, Brosnan’s timely penalty save helped Ireland qualify for the World Cup. Despite the early setback against Australia, Ireland remains alive in Group B.
“It’s still a bit of a pinch me moment.” Brosnan said in an interview with Everton.com.
Photo courtesy of Football Association of Ireland
Published on July 25, 2023 at 1:15 am
Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22
