Denise O’Sullivan: ‘To have my dad here would be a dream but I know he’s looking down’

Denise O’Sullivan was eight years old when Robbie Keane squeezed that equaliser past Oliver Kahn.

The 2002 World Cup is etched in her memory. Mick McCarthy’s jaw hitting the grass. Robbie’s cartwheel and roly-poly celebration. The pile-on. Ibaraki on fire.

It was morning back home in Cork but she was in the pub with John O’Sullivan, her beloved father, who died in 2016 at age 63, leaving behind 10 children – Denise being the youngest and the apple of his eye.

“I always believed that this team could get to a World Cup. We’ve went through a really tough journey to get here. But that’s the journey that that made us get here, all those things we went through as a team: losing to Ukraine that night [in 2020], that was a big reason why we’re at this World Cup.

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“I think we’ve really matured from that night. We’ve grown as a team and we’ve all come together now. We’re in this journey together. We’re here at a World Cup together. Some of the girls I’ve played with – Katie McCabe for 10 years, Grace Moloney I played with at the under-17 World Cup – so it’s surreal to be here with those girls. Playing in this World Cup gives me goosebumps.”

When the build-up to playing the Matildas in Stadium Australia reaches fever pitch next week, John O’Sullivan will be missed the most.

“Yeah, of course, I don’t have my Dad here with me today. He was the biggest supporter for me in my journey to get to where I am. Obviously, to have him here would be a dream but I know he’s looking down. He’s proud anyway. He pushed me along the way to get to where I am today.”

Think of him a lot? “Yeah, of course. Absolutely.”

O’Sullivan is no extrovert. She rarely breaks bread with the media. That’s what made her wandering over to a gang of Irish hacks after training on Meakin Park, just south of Brisbane, last Wednesday night so special.

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She’s caked in sweat. Laces undone. After the interview, she crouches down to sign a young boy’s green shirt. Then she gives an elderly man’s iPhone to a reporter, so a family can get the full picture. You do what you are told around Denise O’Sullivan.

Like most of Cork’s sporting greats, she has plenty to say but keeps her own counsel until it needs saying. Seán Óg was the same. As was Roy, Jimmy Barry and Sonia. And now, after 29 years, here comes Denise. High up on the world stage with feet firmly planted on the grass.

John O’Sullivan died five weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.

“My Dad passed away on Sunday, I signed for Houston Dash on Thursday and then went to the [FAI] awards on Sunday and won International Player of the Year,” she told Malachy Clerkin in March 2016. “My emotions were all over the place. For it to all happen in that short a time, it was a weird week, to be honest.”

Within women’s professional football she was already a phenom. One of those energetic midfielders who can turn on a sixpence. A 5ft 4in weapon that loves a headed goal.

O’Sullivan has gone from baby-faced teenager, netting twice on her debut against Wales in 2011, to delivering the ball that sent Amber Barrett clear at Hampden Park. One hundred and two caps later and now captain of North Carolina Courage, where she lives and breathes a healthy lifestyle. An uncertain start in US soccer saw loan moves to Canberra United and Western Sydney Wanderers before the Courage grasped what they had.

“Yeah, I know a lot of people [in Australia]. I’m familiar with the training pitches and stuff like that, I’m familiar with the weather. The coffee is unbelievable. That’s one thing I’ll say, it’s class.

“I’ve been here and I played here.”

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They remember her. They will crowd her out, force her to play as a holding midfielder, like Sweden and Finland attempted during qualification.

She knows all this. Her infectious laughter masks a ruthless practitioner, one who is bursting to test the mettle of bigger, stronger Australians next Thursday.

“We just have to be battling, it’s going to be a battle. I’m a ball player and I want to get on the ball so hopefully I will get on the ball a bit more than what I did against France [for the 3-0 loss in Tallaght last week]. They were a very high-pressing team, a lot of pressure in there, two players on my back every time I got the ball. And I’m sure Australia will be the same as well. But I think we’ll have a bit more time now to work on that in training and get more prepared for the Australia game.”

O’Sullivan and McCabe cannot be expected carry this fight alone. Others must shine as well. Like Ruesha Littlejohn in the middle third. Megan Connolly at dead balls. Lou Quinn in the sky. Kyra Carusa, when a half chance materialises.

“There will be pressure on me and Katie but we have enough experience to deal with it. Katie probably has played in front of the most out of any of us – 60,000 – and I played in front of 30,000. For me, the more that’s in that stadium, the better. We want to be playing in those games. There’ll be a little bit of pressure, and that’s expected, but we’re going to go out and do what we can and give everything – absolutely everything – to put in a good performance and get the three points.”

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When asked about being targeted by opponents, John O’Sullivan’s daughter from Knocknaheeny bristles.

“It gives you a bit of confidence that they’re trying to take you out of the game. Sometimes it’s tough to deal with, because you do have one or two players on your back. But that’s what it’s all about. It’s a high-level game, and I’ll be ready for it. I’ve been playing in these games for a long time now. I’m at a World Cup, I’m going to take it all in and enjoy the moment.”

The family are unable to travel to Australia so instead the neighbourhood overlooking Cork city produced an unforgettable send-off.

“Ah it was unbelievable. I was mortified, but it was class, to be fair. A few weeks before that I got permission from Vera just to go home to see the family because, unfortunately, they weren’t coming over here to the World Cup.

“The minute I told them that, they were organising something and I knew it. But I didn’t know they were organising to that extent, to be quite honest – rappers, bands... oh, my goodness, it was mad. My family have always been a great support and you can see what football does. It just brought the whole community and everyone together that night to support me. It was a great send-off.

“I mean in that field where I was that night with my family and everyone, that’s where I grew up playing football. That’s where I played street football with my brothers and all the boys. That night, I was there signing autographs for kids sitting in that same field, so just to look forward and look how far I’ve come and what I’m doing now.

“Look, I have a platform to inspire people and I think that’s what this team is doing. I want to leave this green shirt in the best condition I can for when I’m about to retire.

“Not any time soon,” she laughs, “but that’s definitely what it’s all about. It’s about inspiring the next generation.”