'We want to do the nation proud' Girls in green blown away by support ahead of World Cup kick-off

Republic of Ireland players Izzy Atkinson, Courtney Brosnan, Kyra Carusa, Sinead Farrelly, Abbie Larkin, Marissa Sheva, Claire O'Riordan, and Heather Payne during the squad's stadium familiarisation at Stadium Australia in Sydney. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

It's Australia’s biggest sporting event since the 2000 Olympics and it's Ireland’s first World Cup since 2002 — and both countries are holding their breath.

Demand for tickets to this opening fixture of the Women’s World Cup in Sydney has outstripped the demand for tickets to the final on August 20. Across the city, there's a steady trickle of green-clad fans interspersing the wall of gold.

Denise O’Sullivan’s sisters, brothers, nephews, and nieces jumping for joy outside the family home in Knocknaheeney, Cork, ahead of Ireland’s World Cup debut on Thursday. Picture: Dan Linehan

Fifa made one of its more sensible decisions in switching venues for the meeting of the tournament hosts against debutants, Ireland, ditching Moore Park for Stadium Australia.

Official capacity at the stadium where Cathy Freeman claimed gold and Sonia O’Sullivan silver at the 2000 Olympiad was capped yesterday at 75,784. 

And not a ticket is to be had. 

A slow release of batches merely fuelled demand and many who originally purchased the best ones were reassigned higher up the tiers, much to their angst.

Yesterday, around the Sydney Opera House, fans flocked to chime in unison, even those still scrambling for the hottest tickets in town. 

Ireland was last part of a World Cup 21 years ago, similarly, in far-flung Korea and Japan.

Rosie Keane, a Galway native working as Ireland’s consul general in Sydney, quantified the Irish-born portion of the city’s population at 30,000 and the volume of those of Irish descent around the 700,000 mark. 

A fan park in the city will house the disappointed throngs who miss out on tickets.

Scores of them descended on Sydney Airport for the squad’s arrival on a short hop from Brisbane, where they’d been based for the past 10 days for a training camp.

Nuala O'Sullivan and family members Lee, Nicola, Mark, Sinead, Margaret, and John Paul in Knocknaheeney, Cork are ready to cheer on Denise O'Sullivan and her teammates in the Republic of Ireland's first match on Thursday at 11am Irish time. Picture: Dan Linehan

The family of Amber Barrett — whose winner in Scotland nine months ago sealed qualification — were present for the emotional scenes, along with the parents of teammate and Newcastle West native Claire O’Riordan.

“They’re our home away from home,” said captain Katie McCabe.

“You can see the numbers that have travelled, and the pictures that are going online, and how much support we have here in Sydney.

“It’s really special and the whole team feels that, not just the players but the staff. We want to do the nation proud."