'I just had to do it': O'Sullivan will miss Cork homecoming after taking suspension hit

Ireland manager Carla Ward contended that Denise O'Sullivan was not sufficiently protected by the referee during her side's victory over Poland at the Aviva Stadium

Ireland midfielder Denise O'Sullivan will miss the World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Denise O’Sullivan insists she had no option but to take the booking which rules out a Cork homecoming against group leaders Netherlands on June 5.

The Leesider was already on a yellow from Tuesday’s 3-2 win in Poland when she fouled Nadia Krezyman just inside the Ireland half during Saturday's reverse fixture.

Although her Ireland side completed the double over the Poles to smooth their path to Brazil, the player of the match will be suspended for the Pairc Uí Chaoimh game.

“Poland are very good on the counter-attack and they countered so I just had to do it, pretty much,” the Liverpool ace said about the incident which prompted Slovenian referee Aleksandra Česen to take action.

“It's frustrating that I'm missing the game and, of course, it's in Cork.

“That’s a massive game for the team so of course I'm really gutted.

“I’ll take the positives of three points tonight and I'll be there cheering the girls on in Cork.

“We have a deep squad, a lot of talent and regardless of if I'm there or not. I think the team will perform and I'm not concerned about that.

“I trust them, I trust the staff that they're going to go out and do everything in their power to get something in those games.

“I’m keeping my head up because that’s the mentality.” 

O’Sullivan’s manager Carla Ward didn’t agree with the decision, contending her player wasn’t protected against the pole-axe of the visitors.

“I thought it was very harsh,” said Ward, who herself joined her player on the bookings list later on.

“Denise got absolutely battered before that. Poland doubled-up on her because of what she did in the first game, which created a problem.

“So the referee didn’t protect Denise and then booked her.

“I had my opinion on that, as I do on everything.” 

Six points accrued in four days all but consolidates third place in the group for Ireland. Retention of their League A status for Euro 2029 and a notionally easier path to a second successive World Cup in Brazil next year.

O’Sullivan will be back for the final qualifier away to France in Grenoble on June 9.

“We were in control for the whole 90 minutes,” asserted O’Sullivan.

“When we dropped into the 5-4-1, we became a bit deeper in our own half and a bit under pressure.

“But it is what it is in these in kind of games; you're going to feel that pressure.

“We managed the momentum well; Abbie Larkin did really well after coming on, hitting those balls over and getting her down the wing.

“Our team has improved a lot, especially in our attacking play. You can see that we're confident now as a team.

“We can always improve as well, we have to keep our foot on the gas, keeping backing each other. I think we have something special in this group.”