Denise O'Sullivan declared fit for Ireland's clash with Hungary

KARMA CHAMELEON: Denise O'Sullivan, Megan Connolly, and Savannah McCarthy with Flash, a chameleon, at Zoo Café in Budapest, Hungary, during some down time ahead of their Uefa Women's Nations League B1 match against Hungary, on Tuesday. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Denise O’Sullivan has been cleared to win her 107th cap in Tuesday’s Nations League game in Hungary, shaking off the injury she suffered on Saturday.

The Corkwoman was seen grimacing with pain at the end of the 3-0 stroll over Northern Ireland and had to be attended to by the physio Angela Kenneally.

The injury she felt after releasing a pass has been deemed to be minor and she took a full part of Monday’s pre-match training session at the Hidegkuti Nándor Stadion.

Louise Quinn also emerged as a doubt from shipping a head knock during the corner that led to Lily Agg’s final goal but the centre-back, too, has been cleared to feature.

Ireland are considered hot favourites to stitch a second successive victory on the board.

Hungary sit 42nd in FIFA’s rankings, 18 places behind the Irish and have been operating without star player Fanny Vágó this year, much to the veteran’s chagrin.

They could only draw 1-1 against Albania in their opener on Friday and public disinterest is exemplified by the fact that only the gleaming, compact 4,500-seater stadium is anticipated to be no more than a quarter occupied by the local kick-off time of 7.30pm.

Ireland, by contrast, were cheered on by over 30,000 fans during Saturday’s first-ever senior women’s international.

The controversy surrounding the axing of Vera Pauw after the World Cup, despite her undoubted public popularity, hasn’t dampened the growing admiration and active interest in this squad’s progress.

That should be a formality in this maiden Nations League campaign. Coming up next month is a double-header against minnows Albania, offering the opportunity of building a string of wins to take into next year’s European Championship qualifiers.

The demands of playing twice in 72 hours, albeit against inferior opposition, will frame the selection decisions of interim boss Eileen Gleeson.

She will take into account the early-season rustiness of her Championship players, as well as the fact it will only be this Sunday that her Women’s Super League players kick off their club campaign.

Abbie Larkin, recently recruited by Glasgow City from Shamrock Rovers, is pushing for a start, as is Agg, after both impressed off the bench against Northern Ireland.

“We have all the data on the players from before the camp that we use to manage their loads,” said Gleeson, redeployed from her permanent job as head of women’s and girls’ football in the FAI to assume caretaker charge until Pauw’s successor is sourced.

“We must manage the players and factor in the opposition. That’s all part of the decision-making process.

“We were happy with Saturday, some very good performances, and you want continuity as well. There’s different opposition so you must blend all those factors together and get the team you think is better for the opposition as well.”