Denise O'Sullivan: I’m buzzing to play for Ireland just 10 minutes from my home
REBEL ARMY: Assistant coach Colin Healy with players, from left, Eva Mangan, Megan Connolly, Denise O'Sullivan and Lily Agg, all from Cork, after a Republic of Ireland women's training session at Turners Cross. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Football was the code that dominated Denise O’Sullivan’s upbringing but the opportunity of lining up in Pairc Uí Chaoímh in the build-up to Cork’s hurling All-Ireland final is tantalising.
The Knocknaheeny will take her first steps inside the arena since it reopened in 2017 during Ireland’s final training session for Tuesday’s visit of France.
Both nations are at opposite ends of the Euro group - Les Bleues already qualified for next year’s finals in Switzerland, bottom-placed Ireland requiring two playoff wins later in the year to join them.
Tuesday’s game is significant nonetheless; the Pairc’s sole football match apart from the Liam Miller memorial game and the first senior international in Cork for 11 years.
There’s also a first reminder of the women’s team profile on home soil since the horrific allegations of historical abuse in last weekend’s RTÉ Investigates broadcast.
Coming in the week Cork is gearing up for a hurling epic against Clare on Sunday adds to the sporting extravaganza on Leeside.
“I’m buzzing to be back home playing for Ireland – just 10 minutes from my home,” said the centurion, still based in the US with North Carolina Courage but attracting interest from Manchester United.
“I’ve only seen photos of the stadium but my teammate Megan Connolly was at the Pairc a few weeks ago, saying the pitch looks massive.
“We’ve no idea how they’re going to line that out now but I’m just excited – being back home is a glorious feeling.”
Hurling was a peripheral friend in a house where her older brothers put football at the forefront. Yet the younger sister will embrace the sense of county collegiality.
“I’m not really (a big hurling fan) but I’ll support the team,” she noted. “It’s remote for me when I’m based in the US but it’s Cork and this is a huge week.”
When it comes to football, a first point of the qualifiers against the team ranked second in the world is the mission facing Ireland before a crowd anticipated to number around 20,000.
Damage limitation has been Ireland’s core aim since the campaign against three of the World’s top six nations went with form.
A first goal of 2024 in seven matches – five qualifiers following two blank friendlies – instigated a feelgood factor to their latest defeat. England were comfortable victors in Norwich, their only blemish failing to deal with Megan Campbell’s wicked throw-in and a toe-poked finish from fellow substitute Julie-Ann Russell.
O’Sullivan and her teammates were chasing shadows for the majority, eventually getting to grips with the midfield sorcery of the European champions.
France, despite securing their ticket by beating Sweden on Friday and being distracted by hosting the Olympics later this month, still have the top spot as an incentive.
“Hopefully they come out sleepy,” joked O’Sullivan about whether the visitors will rest players.
“I don’t think it matters what team France puts out; they’ll always have world-class players on the field.
“We must be 100% focused because as we saw against England. once when you switch off for a second, you concede a goal.”
Consolidation has been the tactic employed by head coach Eileen Gleeson in this daunting campaign and in spite of the defeats something must be accrued to prepare Ireland for tests against two other nations in the playoffs between October to December.
“The biggest thing we've learned is when we can go forward or sit back,” summarised the 30-year-old, who will hand the captain’s armband back to Katie McCabe on her return from suspension.
“That’s a balance. Whether we sit deep or just keep running for 90 minutes, going forward but then get opened up.
“Every time we play against these teams we’re learning. We’ve still a young squad, you saw Jess Ziu on the pitch against England not looking that young at all because she’s such a quality player.
"It’s about bringing those players through. You want to be part of these campaigns.
“Leanne Kiernan and Julie Ann coming on at half-time brought a lot of energy and fresh legs, helping us to go at them.
“But you can’t do that all the time against these teams – only a few minutes and sit back in.”
Russell’s goal all but assures Ireland a seeded place for the playoffs this Friday. That’s unless fellow strugglers Poland better Ireland’s result against Iceland in their group finale. All games kick off at 6pm.
“We’re head-to-head with Poland so to get that late goal was really, really important,” O’Sullivan stressed.
“We’ll keep building on this because we want to be top seeds for the draw.”
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