AN IRVINE woman saw her "dream come true" this month as she made her Glasgow Warriors debut.
Shelley Main turned out for the club for the first time on Sunday, February 15, marking a major milestone amid a remarkable return from injury.
The Warriors' women's team was first formed at the end of 2023 to compete in the Celtic Challenge - a six team league involving two teams from each of Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Aimed at developing the female sport, it offers players and opportunity to be part of a professional set up and is played outwith the regular club rugby season.
With two matches remaining of the league campaign, Glasgow are finely poised to claim the last of four semi-final places.
It is something Shelley, who made her debut against table topping Wolfhounds from Ireland, is delighted to be a part of.
She started trialling for the Warriors' team towards the end of last year, whilst still competing with her club side Ayr, before earning her place in the squad.
Though her first appearance was something that Shelley has been working towards for much longer than that.
Having first picked up the sport in her early teens, the Irvine girl started play as part of the boys team at her local club before moving onto Ayr.
She thrived thereafter, earning calls for national youth teams before injury played its part - though that only made her debut feel all the more special.
“It’s like a dream come true," Shelley said. "I was part of the Scotland set up in the past then that kind of crumbled a bit because of an injury.
“I done my ACL, PCL and MCL in my knee, I got told I probably wouldn’t play again because of the extent of the injury.
“But I was determined, I just kept working at it with the physios. I was out for 18-months, then went back to play with Ayr and just excelled since.
“It was good to actually prove myself and show that I can get back to that level.
“My main goal is to try and get in a Scotland shirt, this is hopefully a step towards that.”
Shelley was happy to make all those who have supported her proud as she stepped out on the Scotstoun pitch for the first time.
“Just getting the call from the bench, saying it was your time and you are coming on, it just felt so good.
“It has been a tough few years, it was great just to step on that park and have a chance to show what I can do.
“My dad passed away in 2020, I told him before he passed that I would always stick with it – it’s so good to get to that level. Even though he’s not here, I just know how proud he would be.
“It meant so much to me as well having all my family and friends there as well cheering me on like they always do.”
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