Denise O’Sullivan came into the mixed zone after one her finest performances in a green jersey, knowing that the first question would be about her potentially disastrous suspension for the World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on June 5th.
“Go on sure,” the Cork woman shrugged.
The 32-year-old felt she had no choice but to take a yellow card for the team at the Aviva Stadium, to deny a Polish player getting through a Republic of Ireland team that eventually held for a 1-0 victory.
What will infuriate Ireland is their vice captain, having already missed the 2-1 loss to the Netherlands in Utrecht last month with a knee injury, picked up the first yellow last Tuesday in Gdansk for the mildest retaliation you are ever likely to see after being repeatedly kicked by Polish players.
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“It’s frustrating that I am missing the game, of course, it’s in Cork, my hometown,” she said. “It’s a massive game for the team, so of course I’m really gutted.
“It’s part of football, it happens. Take the positives, and that’s the three points.
“I’ll be there cheering the girls on in Cork. I trust them, I trust the staff, and that they’re going to go out and do everything in their power to get something in those games. Keeping my head up, it is what it is. That’s the mentality.”
It was a combative international in Dublin. Asked whether the booking for a foul or dissent, O’Sullivan said: “I think it was just a foul. Poland are very good on the counter attack and they countered. I just had to do it, pretty much.”
Ireland manager Carla Ward had one word to describe her veteran midfielder: “Sensational.
“She is on a different level. She has been sensational these last two games. Her and Emily Murphy [also suspended for two yellows] will be massive misses, but we’ll have players ready and available and they will be prepared as everybody else will be.”
For the game in Utrecht, Ward turned to Lucy Quinn to replace O’Sullivan, but the Birmingham City forward was an unused substitute at the Aviva on Saturday afternoon.
In fact, Ward has cautiously used her bench throughout the campaign, with Abbie Larkin the only player sprung against Poland. Ruesha Littlejohn is the obvious option in midfield now, unless Tyler Toland can change the manager’s mind before the summer, but O’Sullivan is, truly, irreplaceable.
“We have a deep squad,” O’Sullivan countered. “I think we have a lot of talent and regardless of if I’m there or not, I think the team will perform. I’m not concerned about that.”
The performance was almost crowned by an unforgettable goal in the second-half after O’Sullivan flicked the ball over two defenders before slashing a shot off the underside of the crossbar.
“Yeah, I’m gutted. I wish it went in, but I’m confident right now. You can see that in the box, I’m really enjoying this team. It comes from the people around me giving me that confidence and that belief – Carla, the staff, the girls. I’m really valued in here.
“I think when you’re really valued and believed in as a player, I think it comes through in your performances.
“I felt like we were in control for the whole 90 minutes. I thought Abbie Larkin done really well coming in, hitting those balls over and getting her down the wing. I think this team has improved a lot. Big time. 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, this group.
“Carla has instilled a lot of belief in us.”
They also rode their luck as the Slovenian match officials missed a clear foul by Aoife Mannion in the Irish box.
“Don’t you think we deserve a little bit of luck?” Ward asked. “You look at the first game in Tallaght; France’s winning goal was two handballs, nobody spoke about it. The Netherlands’ winning goal was a handball, nobody spoke about it. We deserve a little bit of luck.”
To qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, Ireland have to either top Group A2 or find safe passage through the playoffs in October, where seven European teams will progress. Failing that, there’ll also be a spot on offer through an inter-federation playoff.
The final game of Ireland’s group campaign is against France at Stade des Alpes in Grenoble on June 9th.
“We are in a very good position and excited for the last two games,” said O’Sullivan. “We will go into Netherlands and France looking for points, we performed in the last two games against them. We are feeling confident now.”
