How Matildas’ Mary Fowler got to the international stage

Eldest pair Quivi and Ciara excelled at soccer, both in time playing for Ireland youth teams, though sustained professional careers have eluded them (Quivi occupies himself sometimes now shooting artful videos of Mary, which foreshadowed a recent documentary). Mary, though, was something else. One junior coach in Cairns dines out on a story about how a rival tried to have her barred from a match against opponents two years older. They were boys.

The Fowlers decided to pursue their…