Denise O'Sullivan starts for Ireland but Matildas superstar Sam Kerr ruled out of World Cup opener

The Chelsea forward injured a calf in training. 

OUT: Australia's captain Sam Kerr, right, and head coach Tony Gustavsson attend a press conference at Stadium Australia this week. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Denise O'Sullivan has won her race to be fit for Ireland's World Cup opener against co-hosts Australia on Thursday morning. 

The Cork playmaker was rushed to hospital after an abandoned warm-up game against Colombia last Friday.

But O'Sullivan is named in Vera Pauw's starting XI, which lines up as expected.

Australia, meanwhile, will start their Women's World Cup campaign against Ireland on Thursday without their biggest threat. 

Matildas striker Sam Kerr is injured and will sit out the showdown with the Girls in Green in Sydney.

"Sam Kerr is unavailable tonight after she picked up a calf injury at training on MD-1," an official update reads. "Sam will be unavailable for the next two matches with the Matildas Medical Team to re-assess her following our second group stage match."

Mary Fowler, who could have lined out in green today, will deputise. 

Kerr said: "Unfortunately I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training. I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from us doing what we came here to achieve. 

"Of course I would have loved to have been out there tonight but I can’t wait to be a part of this amazing journey which starts now."

AUSTRALIA (4-4-1-1): Mackenzie Arnold; Ellie Carpenter, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy, Steph Catley (capt); Hayley Raso, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry, Cortnee Vine; Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler.

IRELAND (3-4-2-1): Courtney Brosnan; Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Megan Connolly; Heather Payne, Ruesha Littlejohn, Denise O’Sullivan, Katie McCabe (capt); Sinead Farrelly, Marissa Sheva; Kyra Carusa.

Referee: Edina Alves (BRA).