Abbie Larkin
Abbie Larkin (born 27 April 2005) is an Irish footballer who plays as a forward for Shelbourne and the Republic of Ireland women's national team. Club career. Larkin is from Ringsend and played youth football for the local team Cambridge FC. At nine years old Larkin was accepted into The Metropolitan Girls League Academy two years earlier than the usual admission age of 11. She also played at youth level for Home Farm, before joining Shelbourne. In May 2021, Shelbourne manager Noel King dual-signed Larkin to the club's senior panel from their Women's Under  17 National League squad. She scored on her senior club debut, after entering play as an 84th-minute substitute for Saoirse Noonan in Shelbourne's 5–0 Women's National League win over Athlone Town at Tolka Park on 5 June 2021. In October 2021 Larkin made her first start for Shelbourne when Noelle Murray fell ill and was unable to play in a league match against Galway. Player of the match Larkin scored one goal and served one assist in Shelbourne's 2–0 win, which was televised live by TG4. Shelbourne overhauled Peamount United on a dramatic final day to  win the 2021 Women's National League title. Larkin also played in the 2021 FAI Women's Cup Final, but Shelbourne were beaten 3–1 by Wexford Youths. International career. Youth. Larkin represented Ireland at schoolgirl level while she attended Ringsend College. She progressed to the Republic of Ireland women's national under-17 football team and served as captain in their 2022 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship qualification campaign. Senior. Larkin was called up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad for the first time in February 2022, for the 2022 Pinatar Cup in Murcia. She required her parents' permission to  miss school for the trip. She won her first cap on 19 February 2022 in a 1–0 defeat by Russia and appeared as a half-time substitute for Kyra Carusa in a 1–0 win over Wales.