Euro 2022: Northern Ireland's part-time players with full-time dreams

After a whirlwind week, Northern Ireland's senior women's team are still coming to terms with their greatest achievement - qualification for next year's Euro 2022 finals.

For many observers, it is an underdog success story.

A squad made up of healthcare staff, teachers, shop workers, civil servants, students and more, all striving to play at the highest level, all making sacrifices to chase their dreams.

On Tuesday, when the final whistle went in the play-off against Ukraine, it was all worth it.

BBC News NI has been speaking to four members of the team about their lives away from football, how they deal with the work-life-football balance and how it feels to return to some kind of normality after Tuesday's triumph.

Marissa Callaghan - 'Partner's patience makes it all possible'

Marissa Callaghan says her achievements will give her 17-month-old son the chance to dream big

On Tuesday, the team's captain Marissa Callaghan was scoring the opening goal against Ukraine. By Wednesday, she was back at home with her 17-month-old son Quinn.

But that doesn't mean her mind was right back to domestic matters.

While too young to remember the match, Marissa said there'll be plenty of videos and photos to show him in the future so he can believe "that anything's possible".

"I want him to dream big, so, whatever he wants to do in the future, I have proof that dreams do come true."

However, she admitted making time for Quinn had been tough to fit around playing football for Cliftonville Ladies and Northern Ireland.

Describing her partner Paula as her rock, Marissa added: "With her patience, it's made possible.

"She knows how much it all means to me and obviously how much it means to her as well. We joke in the camp that they are stories to tell the kids and grandkids."

Having fallen in love with the sport as a young girl growing up in the Divis area of west Belfast, Marissa these days is rarely far from the pitch.

She works full-time as a girls' participation officer for the Irish Football Association (IFA), a job she "adores".

"My role is basically to get more young girls playing; I mean how lucky am I to be able to do that on and off the pitch."

Nadene Caldwell - 'Sport's a distraction from hospital pandemic work'

Nadene Caldwell worked in support services at Northern Ireland's Nightingale Hospital

For Northern Ireland's other goalscorer on Tuesday, football - and the team's success - has been a very welcome distraction from a challenging year.

When Nadene Caldwell hasn't been on the pitch, she's been working in support services at Northern Ireland's Nightingale Hospital, a site which found itself right at the centre of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I always said if I didn't have football it would have been totally different for me," she explained.

"It was just another distraction, that I was able to come home from work and I had that other side, that other part of my life, whether it be on Zooms with the girls or whatever.

"I always had full support from my work colleagues and obviously my family and friends - that really got me through."

Growing up in the Village area of south Belfast, the Glentoran Ladies midfielder said she and her sister Nicole, also a footballer, have loved the sport from a young age.

The sacrifices required to make it to the top have been tough but "small" compared to the end result.

"Especially with qualifying for the Euros, not everyone can say they've done that but it makes it that wee bit easier when you get success.

"It's when things aren't going well, that's when the strain maybe comes into it but I've always felt full support."

Reflecting on qualification, Nadene described it as madness.

"I don't think it's really going to settle for a few weeks. It's only really moments when you're on your own and you absorb it and suck it all in."

Kirsty McGuinness - 'I took unpaid leave to play'

Kirsty McGuinness (right) and her sister and fellow international Caitlin have enjoyed the success together

"Crazy" - that's how Kirsty McGuinness describes Northern Ireland's qualification to a tournament in which they'll face teams made up of full-time footballers.

It's a different world for Kirsty and her teammates, including her sister Caitlin. The Sion Swifts Ladies forward took unpaid leave to meet up with the squad after recently taking a job at a retailer.

"I think whenever we do go back into real-life work it will be a bit strange but it's what we have to do to pay the bills.

"The fact that we have to go to work every day and train as well, I think it's unbelievable from the whole squad."

When asked if media coverage means she might now be recognised at work, she noted that "with a mask on it will not be as easy".

Kirsty said she's "lucky" to have a supportive partner, Orlaith, who does "everything" to help her chase her football ambitions.

"Coming in from work and having to go straight to training, it has been tough, but she understands that it's my passion, it's what I want to do for as long as I can.

"Even just wee silly things like having my dinner made so I can eat it straight away, she's always there and does everything for me."

Julie Nelson - 'Day of work, quick snack and off to training'

Julie Nelson, who made her Northern Ireland debut in 2004, has plenty of experience juggling football with work and family

Julie Nelson is the squad's history maker, the first Northern Ireland women's international to surpass 100 caps.

But sustaining her long career alongside her full-time job at the Ulster University's sports centre hasn't been easy.

Her life is action-packed, she said, but also "hard to manage at times".

"You don't have a lot of free time - you're going to work nine to five, you're home maybe getting a quick snack and then you're off to training at seven o'clock at night.

"It's all go for us, there's not a lot of time to sit and take it all in."

The centre half, who plays for Crusaders Strikers, said she's lucky if she gets a day each week when there's "nothing to do".

This week has been no exception as the easing of Covid-19 rules on outdoor sport in Northern Ireland meant it was a busy week at work.

Unfortunately the rules didn't allow family and friends to witness the team's historic win in person but Julie noted it possibly "helped with the pressure".

"Everybody watched the game, everybody's fully behind us.

"I'm sure if we'd have been able to have fans in the other night they would all have been there in their droves following us."