A shiner and a protective boot, but Ireland confident about Louise Quinn's fitness for Canada

Republic of Ireland's Louise Quinn at Brisbane Airport, Australia, ahead of the team's chartered flight to Perth for their FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 group match against Canada, on Wednesday. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Ireland are highly confident that Louise Quinn will be fit for their second World Cup fixture on Wednesday against Canada despite sporting a protective boot on Sunday’s flight to Perth.

The centre-back had an icepack strapped to her left foot after Thursday’s opening 1-0 defeat to co-hosts Australia, raising fears about her readiness amid the swift turnaround.

Although the FAI reported no injury concerns on Saturday, they flagged this knock to Quinn during the next update.

The centurion is a vital cog in Vera Pauw’s structure, resolute in defence by producing a series of blocks against the Matildas before getting hurtled up front as Ireland’s Plan B.

She was a yard away from hitting the target in stoppage time from a Katie McCabe cross.

“We still believe we can get out of this group,” the Blessington woman beamed afterwards.

Ireland’s delegation took the five-and-a-half-hour flight from their Brisbane base to the west coast of Australia, entering territory with a two-hour time difference.

There they will meet Canada at the Rectangular Stadium, a less salubrious setting than the 75,00-seater Sydney venue they graced for the first day blockbuster.

A scoreless draw for the Olympic champions against Nigeria in their opener on Friday felt like a defeat for goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and the game was overshadowed by Christine Sinclair’s penalty miss.

The 40-year-old legend will have two additional games to establish a record of scoring at six successive World Cups but she was left in tears after being substituted for only the second time in her 24-year Canada career.

She declined to walk through the media mixed zone afterwards, a requirement of FIFA on all players.

Influential Chelsea midfielder Jessie Fleming is expected to return to the Maples’ side, having missed the opener as a precaution over a calf niggle. “Tournament football is about moving on,” stressed Canada manager Bev Priestman, a former England assistant coach to Phil Neville.