Rachel Graham - It's been hard looking in from the sidelines

Rachel Graham is a 25 year old Ireland International soccer player from Donaghmede in Dublin and a member of the country's most successful women's club over the last five years Raheny United.

Rachel an ever present in the heart beat of the Raheny midfield is described as a no nonsense player who isn’t afraid to make a challenge or do the donkey work in order to benefit the team.

Before the start of the 2014/15 season Rachel had previously missed just four league games for the Panda’s, however in January 2015 after playing for Ireland against Norway in a training game in La Manga, Rachel complained of excruciating pain in her foot.

Rachel later explained to Extratime.ie that the injury first occurred while playing in Romania for Raheny, as she helped them qualify for the last 32 of the Champions League.

Initially Rachel though it was just a small pain that would fade over time and tried to play through the pain barrier, as the opportunity of Champions League football and an FAI Women’s Cup Final was too hard to turn down.

After speaking with her physio when returning from La Manga Rachel was sent for a scan on her foot which later revealed a stress fracture of the 5th metatarsal.

After receiving the news of the injury Rachel first hoped to be back on the park within a number of weeks, as Raheny United attempted to defend their league title for a third consecutive season.

However due to the seriousness of the injury Rachel was forced to put her plans of a swift return on hold as she has forced to wear a protective boot which she is hopeful will be removed in the next week.

As this was the first serious injury Rachel had suffered it’s been extremely hard to watch results not go her teammates way in recent weeks.

“I still go down to training and watch, I’m fed up and frustrated with watching but I still want to be part of the team and see all the girls so I just put on a brave face.”

Last Sunday in Tolka Park Rachel was forced to watch on as her Raheny teammates defeated Peamount United to win their first Women’s National League Cup Final, Rachel recalled while it was hard not to be on the park, she was still filled with joy as her teammates lifted the trophy.

“It was the first time I have ever missed a final, I wont lie on a selfish note I was gutted not to be playing, nothing better than a cup final. But I was delighted when the girls fought till the end and got the win. I was jumping around on one foot of course when Katie McCabe got the winner. I was straight onto the pitch to congratulate the girls on the win.”

Rachel having regained her place back in the Ireland squad in 2014, after improving on the aspects of her game that manager Sue Ronan required, she is more determined to put this injury to the back of her mind and get back on the park.

When the protective boot is removed, if the bone has fully healed Rachel’s aim is to make up for lost time by representing Ireland in World Student Games this July, however if the World Student Games does not come to perish Rachel will ensure that she is back to her best for the start of the 2015/16 Women’s National League to help Raheny attempt to regain their crown they lost to Wexford Youths.