THE WORD ‘RESILIENCE’ jumps off Denise O’Sullivan’s right arm.
It’s among the new inked additions under her striking half sleeve tattoo; the number 10 also just below her bicep with a map of Ireland — Cork clearly marked out — further down on the inside of her forearm.
O’Sullivan got the ‘resilience’ one just before she left for the World Cup, and it has proved fitting through her whirlwind time in Australia thus far.
The Ireland midfield maestro’s first major tournament almost ended before it began last Friday in the infamous abandoned warm-up game against Colombia. She was hospitalised with a shin injury, her World Cup dream on ice — quite literally — six days out from kick-off.
Thankfully O’Sullivan won her fitness race, and showed no signs of the injury throughout a typically all-action performance in Thursday’s opening 1-0 defeat to Australia.
True resilience.
“It was a scare at first because I was in so much pain when it happened,” O’Sullivan recalled today, admitting she thought there was a chance her World Cup was over in the immediate aftermath.
“Obviously being the first major tournament, I feared the worst for myself. I was actually shaking in the hospital because I was so nervous and emotional.
“I just remember [the tackle] was very late. I already released the ball and she smashed my ankle, my shin. I don’t know if it was deliberate at all. I’ve never went off after a tackle in my entire life.
It 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 [Australia] game.
She relaxed once the scan showed no break or fracture, and her recovery from the soft tissue injury and bone bruising began immediately. While everyone else was on Denise Watch, O’Sullivan blocked out the noise by deleting Twitter and staying off social media, working closely with physio Angela Kenneally and the medical staff between plunge pools and constant icing.
The North Carolina Courage captain admits she was a bit sore before and after Thursday’s game, but she put it to the back of her mind within.
She got stuck in and showed her class from the get-go, but by her own high standards, believes she could have done better.
“I was raring to go the other night and back out there being physical again the way we usually are. It was a very physical game and that wasn’t really in my head, I just wanted to give everything for the team. I think when you think about that too much, that is when you can get injured, I just tried to leave it and play my game.
“You’re playing in your first World Cup, you know it’s the pinnacle of your career. It was everything I dreamed of since I was a kid, so I was really proud to go out there. Just standing in that tunnel, the Irish just took over the stadium, to be honest. The minute we ran out, they were singing songs and it was just an unbelievable experience to play in front of 75,000.
“I think I was okay, but I think I can always be better than that, so I will be watching video the next few days, watching myself back and seeing what I can do better for the team and what I can do more.”
O’Sullivan echoes her team-mates words that the collective performance gives Ireland the belief they belong here — and can secure a result against Canada in their next group game. They play the Olympic champions, who drew 0-0 draw with Nigeria yesterday, in Perth on Wednesday.
“Now it’s wide open again and we have a big opportunity, it is in our own hands and for us, we will work on that in the next few days and Vera will have us push on further.”
She’s well-acquainted with players from both sides in the NWSL, and also featured against the Maple Leaf when Ireland fell to a 2-1 defeat at the 2014 Cyprus Cup.
“Canada have always been a very strong team, they are a very good team and have a lot of key players in their squad.
“Christine Sinclair, she is a massive player and leader. She has scored an awful lot of goals in big tournaments, I think she might be the top goalscorer in the World Cup. She is an excellent player.
“It’s going to be a very tough game but one that we believe we can do well in.”
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan is keeping a close eye on home, with Knocknaheeny not only a focal point on her tattoo — but for the World Cup festivities in Ireland.
Her family are front and centre “loving the experience”.
“Their support has been absolutely massive,” O’Sullivan beams. “To see my Mam with the smile on her face, as she does every singe day during this tournament has been phenomenal. She is even doing interviews. Now my Mam doesn’t speak much, honesty, and I’m thinking, ‘Wow, I’m proud of you, girl, doing all these interviews!’
“The excitement and buzz back there has been unbelievable, the amount of watch parties going on back in Cork has been unreal. It is great to see the amount of people that are behind this team and supporting us.”