O’Sullivan geared up for key World Cup qualifier

Although the pain still lingers from last month’s slender defeat to European Champions Germany, Cork girl Denise O’Sullivan has pledged to put it right by helping Ireland to victory in tonight’s World Cup qualifier against Russia at Tallaght Stadium (7.30pm).

O’Sullivan, now full-time with Scottish club, Glasgow City, was one of Ireland’s standout performers in the 3-2 defeat against the runaway group leaders.

A win this evening will see Ireland leapfrog above their visitors into the play-off spot at the halfway stage of the campaign.

“We are all very confident of reaching next year’s World Cup in Canada, especially after pushing Germany so far,” said the Leesider.

“Russia is an even bigger game because they’re our main rivals for second spot. People might say a draw will be okay for us, but I’m not going to take that. We need to win and I’ve every confidence we will.”

Having recently just turned 20, the Knocknaheeny native has come a long way since showing promise in her early teens playing for Wilton United.

O’Sullivan admits this season’s progression into professional football for Glasgow City is like ‘living the dream’ and she hasn’t ruled out moving, at the right time, into the re-launched English Women’s Super League.

The physically-imposing Russians may look upon the slightly-built attacker as an easy target tonight but Ireland manager Sue Ronan has a message for the visitors.

“Denise is fast but, for a small girl, is also very strong,” she explained. “One of her team-mates, twice her size, went into a challenge against Denise in training this week and ended up bouncing off her!

“Playing professionally this season has really helped Denise because she’s such a talent. We knew that from the U17 World Cup in 2010 but now she’s become one of our key players.”

IRELAND (probable): E Byrne (Arsenal); M de Burca (Galway WFC), L Quinn (Eskilstuna United), D Caldwell (Avaldsnes), S Perry (Millwall); S Smyth (Amazon Grimstad), D Gorman (Peamount United); Á O’Gorman (Peamount United), D O’Sullivan (Glasgow City), JA Russell (Peamount United); F O’Sullivan (SC Frieburg).