Denise O’Sullivan: ‘I feared the worst after tackle against Colombia’

Ireland midfielder Denise O’Sullivan has filled in some of the detail around the foul that almost ended her World Cup before it even began.

On July 14th the North Carolina captain was taken to hospital outside Brisbane with an ankle injury following a foul by Colombian midfielder Lorena Bedoya. A CT-scan revealed no fracture and after intensive treatment from the Irish medics, the centurion recovered to face Australia in the opening match of the tournament last Thursday night in Sydney, which Ireland lost 1-0.

“I just remember it was very late and I already released the ball and she smashed my ankle and my shin,” said O’Sullivan before the Ireland squad’s flight to Perth to prepare for Wednesday’s second Group B match against Canada.

“It was a scare at first, because I was in so much pain when it happened,” the 29-year-old explained. “Obviously being our first major tournament, I feared the worst for myself. It’s just bone bruising and soft tissue.

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“[The reaction] was mental. The thing blew up. I didn’t know what to do. It was obviously stressful seeing it all over social media because that’s not the attention I wanted on the team, and for myself.

“I wanted to focus on the game. But it happened, I was nervous for the next few hours, to see if I could recover in time, and luckily I did.”

O’Sullivan walks another tightrope against Canada and Nigeria on July 31st as a second yellow card would result in a one match suspension. Against Australia she was booked for dissent by Brazil referee Edina Alvez.

All yellow cards are wiped after the quarter-finals.

“Honestly, I think there were a few kicks before that, that I think the ref gave to Australia. I think she took it out on me and gave me the yellow card. I just threw my arms in the air, like ‘what’s going on?’”