Clare Shine played her final game of professional football at the weekend as her Glasgow City FC side defeated Hearts 2-0 in the SWPL.
The 27-year-old Ireland international announced last week that she has decided to step away from football as she has "struggled both mentally and physically" with the demands of the game.
There were tears all-round at Petershill Park with 75 minutes on the clock on Sunday as Shine was substituted and bode an emotional farewell to the club.
Clare Shine bids fare well to football
📺 | 😢🖤🧡
🗣: "A wonderful player. A wonderful goalscorer. An even better person."
Not a dry eye at Petershill. We 🧡 you Shiney! @ClareShine01 pic.twitter.com/M05Hii5YE0
— Glasgow City FC 🧡🖤 (@GlasgowCityFC) September 25, 2022
The Cork native, who has seven caps for Ireland, played 105 times for Glasgow City over two spells, scoring 70 goals.
"Good luck in your future career Clare! Full respect for your brave decision. We love you!" Ireland manager Vera Pauw tweeted on Sunday.
In a statement released last week, Shine explained her decision.
5 March 2020; Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw speaks with Clare Shine during the UEFA Women's 2021 European Championships Qualifier match between Republic of Ireland and Greece at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
"As athletes we always have high standards and push ourselves to the limit every time we step out onto the pitch, I have given football everything I have for the last 22 years, incredible highs but also intense lows," she said.
"Throughout the last few years I have struggled both mentally and physically to reach the demands as a professional footballer and with that I have decided it's time for me to put myself first and step away from football.
"My happiness and well-being needs to come first and I'm excited to begin the next chapter of my life.
"I would like to thank everyone who has played a part in my incredible journey as a footballer and who have supported me through the good and the bad, I am proud of everything I have achieved and I am looking forward to new beginnings and setting new goals."
📺 | 🧡𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 & 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 🖤
🗣 "Sometimes you've just got to shut up!" 😢@ClareShine01. An emotional day.
Full game ➡️ https://t.co/lFPr6cUBZS pic.twitter.com/RGxrTuRhkl
— Glasgow City FC 🧡🖤 (@GlasgowCityFC) September 25, 2022
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