A teenager whose promising netball career was halted by illness is off to the Under-21 European Championships.

It's been a long road back for Maidstone girl Orla Mulligan who will represent Northern Ireland - the country of her dad's birth - in Worcester next month.

Mulligan, 17, went down with glandular fever two years ago, shortly after playing at the nationals, and struggled to recover.

Her fitness disappeared and her comeback was far from straightforward with the wing attack sidelined again by shin splints and diagnosed with asthma.

She said: "It's been hard. When I had glandular fever, I was like, 'I'm done'.

"I was out for a nearly a season, I think, and when I did go back I couldn't even run one length of the court.

"I got a personal trainer and I was going to the gym a lot but I started playing too much and got shin splints.

"I missed quite a few matches, missed training and then I got exercise-induced asthma. I couldn't breathe."

England recognition was perhaps unrealistic given her time out so she contacted Northern Ireland at the suggestion of dad Jason, who represented his country in karate.

Trials followed and Mulligan, who plays for London Pulse, was picked for the Euros.

She said: "I wanted to play at a higher standard but I didn't know how that would happen because it's very rare to get spotted by England so late in the season.

"My dad suggested emailing Northern Ireland and they replied within two days inviting me to trials.

"They'd never seen me play, never seen me train properly and then they took me on. It was quite a shock.

"They were really lovely girls and after I left I was so nervous, thinking, 'I'm not going to get in, they don't really know me' and then I got the email saying I'd made it."

Northern Ireland play England in their opening match on October 4 and Mulligan can't wait.

She said: "The England teamsheet came out the other day and I know 90% of them but not all of them know I play for Northern Ireland.

"I played with them when I was about 13 so it will be nice to see them and play against them.

"I think we have a good chance of winning but we have to have the right mindset.

"With Northern Ireland the training's completely different.

"The players have more input into how we play whereas over here the coaches have their set way of how they want us to play.

"It's nice to have the responsibility but I'm used to the coaches telling us what to do.

"I'm kind of taking to Northern Ireland what I've learnt over here but I don't want to have too much input, in case it looks like I'm trying to change the way they play.

"It's about getting the right balance."

The Junior World Cup takes place in Fiji in 2021 and that's the next big target for Mulligan.

She has no intention of switching her allegiance back to England any time soon.

"I'll be staying with Northern Ireland because they've given me a chance," said Mulligan.

"England could have given me the chance when I was 13 and they've seen me play at the national tournament when I was 15.

"Northern Ireland have given me a chance so right now my loyalties stay with them."

Mulligan has set up an online fundraising page to help with netball costs.

To contribute, click here

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