O'Sullivan feared World Cup dream was over after Bedoya tackle
Denise O’Sullivan admitted she feared her Women’s World Cup was over before it started when Lorena Bedoya implanted studs into her shinbone.
Concern for the Cork woman’s availability spiked when she was hospitalised due to the Colombian’s vicious tackle during what was designed as an uncapped training workout six days before Ireland were to face co-hosts Australia in their opener.
For the first couple of hours at St Andrew’s Hospital while awaiting scan results, anxiety crippled the 29-year-old.
All that she’d worked towards from kicking her first ball in Knocknaheeny in Cork to winning American titles and being elevated to North Carolina Courage captain was in grave jeopardy.
A fracture would’ve fractured her body and soul but thankfully the South American missed by inches the ankle bone and the impact on her shin was cushioned by the pad.
“At the time it happened, I sure thought there was a chance because of the pain felt,” she said when asked about her entire World Cup coming under threat.
“Luckily the scan showed no break and that fear was gone but for that hour waiting alongside the physio Angela Kenneally I was actually shaking from being so nervous and emotional.”
Unlike her manager Vera Pauw, O’Sullivan was saying for certain the damage was inflicted intentionally, only it was consistent with a planned 90-minute game the FAI aborted once O’Sullivan was clobbered 20 minutes in.
“There were a few bad challenges before that,” she recalls about the workout at Meakin Park.
“One on Ruesha was probably the worst.
“She (Bedoya) had body-checked me before the tackle but I can take a bodycheck. She sent me about 10 yards with her shoulder but that’s not hard with my size.
“The tackle came in two minutes later. I don’t know
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