IT WAS a short but sweet return to Irish football for Jetta Berrill as she used her summer holidays to pick up the game once more after a two-year absence.
The UCD graduate has returned to Budapest, where she is three years into a five-year degree in veterinary studies, after a two-month spell with DLR Waves in the Women’s National League.
The senior Ireland international has taken the past two years off the game in order to concentrate on her studies in Hungary as she pursues her ambition of becoming a vet.
She made an impact in her short time back in the sky blue of Waves, providing the assist for captain Catherine Cronin in Waves’ 2-1 victory over Limerick at Jackson Park in her final game.
The pacey winger, who has also played at right-back for the national team, provided welcome experience in a youthful Waves side looking to break out of mid-table.
The 25-year-old spent five years with Waves in their previous guise as UCD Waves, before the university withdrew their support at the end of last year. And she was delighted to have the opportunity to lace up her boots once more, although she admits it was tough to get her fitness up to speed to an increasingly strong domestic league.
“I was here with UCD Waves two years ago and I just came back for a short three months, just to play with the girls,” Berrill tells the Dublin Gazette.
“I took the first month to get my fitness in some sort of shape. But I’m glad I signed and got a few games. It was short, but I enjoyed all the girls and I enjoyed the training.”
Opportunities to play football in Hungary have proved non-existent and Berrill is unsure whether she will continue to play the game once she graduates in 2021.
“I’m going into fourth year so I have two years left. Why Hungary? I did science in UCD and I’ve always wanted to be a vet so I decided to bite the bullet and go off and do it.
“I haven’t played football for two years until I came back, so I missed it. I enjoyed kicking the ball about again.
“I have two more years over there and I have no plans to play – I’ll just see what happens. I’ve no plans at the moment.”
Her short time back in the Waves fold has opened her eyes to the talent at the Kilternan club where she’s in no doubt a number of teenage players will blossom in the coming years.
“I think the quality at the squad is so good, and it’s such a young squad. I think the average age is around 20 or 21, maybe younger.
“If I had their quality at their age… they’re unbelievable. With a bit of coaching and a few more years’ experience, the team will be so good.
“Nadine [Clare] coming up is so good in the centre. Fiona [Donnelly] as well. They have such control of the ball and they’re so good at spreading it, so I predict big things.”
