By Kieran Yap 7/5/24
Barely two minutes after entering the Grand Final, Shea Connors scored the goal to crown Sydney FC Champions. She talks to Impetus about that moment, and all that lead up to it.
It would have been a brilliant goal in any context. The scores were locked at 0-0 and with Melbourne City hoarding possession, Sydney FC needed a moment of magic. That arrived through the right foot of their American striker.
Siezing the moment, Connors raced onto an inch perfect pass from Indiana Dos Santos and struck a low half volley against an onrushing Melissa Barbieri. It was the ultimate end to a challenging season for club and player.
“Ante (Juric) wanted me to come on and do what I’d been doing, making an impact and the runs in behind,” said Connors of her role on Grand Final day.
“I knew that if he was going to put me on I was going to have to bring something to the table because it was such a tight game.
“You could tell there was only going to be one chance for either side because it was so tight.
“I felt like whoever was going to score would probably be the winner.”
Connors immediately threw herself into the action. With City known for playing short passes from defence. She harried, pressured, and did all the hard work to earn her moment of glory.
The eventual chance looked so precise that it resembled a set play, but it was the result of instinct.
The vision of Dos Santos combined with the technique and pace of Connors. Once Shay Hollman had won possession, the two attsacker sprung into action.
“I saw her get the ball and their one defender had followed me up…I knew that she was out of position. So then I immediately started running forward. I was just trying to stay onside because it took a second to get out of Shay’s feet and then to Indi.
“Indi looked up and it was an incredible ball.
“It was still bouncing. I knew (Melissa) Barbieri always comes out so hard, so I just needed to re-direct it across and try to hit it cleanly first time. I feel like I couldn’t have hit it any better.”
Connors first goal of the season was perfectly struck and perfectly timed. She arrived at Sydney FC as their first major signing of the off-season. Her form as a centre forward was outstanding in the later rounds of the 2022/23 season. She scored six times in the final two months to add to her 17 for APIA Leichhardt the previous NPLW campaign.
The impressive highlights reel and consistent impact not only caught the eye of Sydney FC recruiters, but NWSL clubs. San Diego Wave and Casey Stoney came calling for her during the World Cup.
“I thought I was being spammed,” said Connors of the surprise move. She had travelled home for the first time in over three years to visit family and friends, but had World Cup tickets organized and was prepared to enjoy a rest during the off season. However, it was an opportunity that could not be turned down, and one that she cherished, despite the sudden change from being on holiday to basically replacing USA captain Alex Morgan in the squad.
“I had only packed a bag for a summer vacation!” she says of the suddenness.
“It was such high-quality training and such an intense environment to keep ticking over in while preparing for this season.
“Casey Stoney is such an incredible coach, some of the girls after they had gotten knocked out of the world cup, like Alex Morgan and Kailen Sheridan came back into training.
“It’s considered full time. You’re out there all day.
“It’s just really great prep for the season. I feel like I had learned a lot and was feeling extra confident for the year. It was such a good experience.”
Connors joined Sydney FC as part of a fearsome new-look attack. But along with Fiona Worts and Young Matilda Sienna Saveska, she found herself on the injury list. A broken foot in December meant that Connors would not have the chance to replicate the previous season’s form.
That goal, which will live long in the memories of all Sydney FC fans, has gone some way to making a tough season worthwhile.
“It felt really incredible,” she says of her matchwinner.
“It’s been a pretty difficult year. Trying to come back from injury is difficult.
“I feel like I was still providing a lot off the bench in other finals game, but to put it away was kind a positive light to the personally difficult season.
“In my whole career I’ve never experienced an injury that took me away from the actual season. I’ve had some nagging injuries but they’ve always been in the off season or when I’ve had a little bit of time off.”
Sydney’s participation in the Asian Club Championship meant a trip to Uzbekistan early in the season. The flow on effect was a packed calendar later in the campaign which meant that a week missed could mean multiple games.
“This was really hard,” says Connors of her time on the sidelines.
“I’ve never had to suit up and watch that many games. the hardest part was that we had so many make up games in January. Maybe I would have missed four or five instead of seven or eight. I felt like I was missing so much.”
The injury combined with Sydney’s congested fixtures meant that gaining momentum as an attacker was challenging. As a squad, they scored the equal fewest goals of any top six side, it was not a situation unique to Connors, although as a usually free-scoring striker, it was not one that she was accustomed to.
“Usually once I get one I’m fine,” she says of her scoring history.
“The time I was close was when I broke my foot and that was one of the things I thought about. It was going to be so long before I could get a goal. I feel like it was on my mind a bit.
“When I was coming on as a winger there was more that I could bring to the game besides scoring. It was just focussing on the positives. The team was great, making sure that I was still bringing a lot.
“I just took time to remember my own abilities and back myself in that way. I had belief that I was going to do well in these finals.”
She was not alone in that belief. Connors relays the story of multiple teammates feeling positive about her potential to be the difference in the big game.
“Charlotte (Mclean) and Jordan (Thompson) said on the day of the Grand Final that ‘I feel like this is going to be the day for you,’ because it’s just been so close.
“At half time Charlotte said it (again.) Tori (Tumeth) and I room together and she said that ‘based on the year that you’ve had I literally think you’re going to end up winning this for us.’
Her sparse goals tally for the season is deceiving. Connors made a visible impact when used off the bench against The Central Coast Mariners in the previous finals. her movement and acceleration created openings for her fellow attackers, and kept defenders on their toes.
“I feel like you have to keep the belief that you’re still bringing value even if it’s not in the way you’re more typically perceived,” she said of her super-sub role at Sydney FC.
But Connors will always be a goal scorer, and Grand Final day was a reminder of what she has done consistently since arriving in Australia.
After 92 NPLW goals and 14 in the A-League Women, where does her Championship winning goal sit among her personal highlights?
“It’s definitely really high up there,” she says.
“Grace Gill said it was probably the biggest goal of my career. I was sitting back and having a think about it and she’s probably right. I think to win a grand final like that, it’s just really sweet.
“It was a challenging year for me but also the team in general had a string of injuries, and Uzbekistan took a toll.
“The best part was to do it with people that I really love. I have such a good group of friends on this team.
“We have honestly a lot of fun together. It sits very high in my career and is something that I’ll always remember for sure.”
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