DENISE O’SULLIVAN’S early prognosis is positive, as the Ireland star’s World Cup hopes remain alive.

O’Sullivan’s X-Ray and CT Scan on a shin injury showed no fracture — rather bad bone bruising and soft tissue damage — after last night’s abandoned warm-up game against Colombia in Brisbane.

The Irish centurion and midfield maestro is currently wearing a protective boot and on crutches, as standard procedure, after being discharged from hospital. 

No exact timeline is available yet, but North Carolina Courage captain O’Sullivan is working closely with the Irish medical team ahead of Thursday’s opener against Australia in Sydney.

Positive news for Denise O'Sullivan 🙌

X-Ray and CT Scan show no fracture ✅

Denise will work with WNT Medical Staff on a return to play procedure.#COYGIG | #OUTBELIEVE pic.twitter.com/PoD9cQSupj

— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) July 15, 2023

“We still have hope she can make it,” Vera Pauw told TV cameras at the team’s Emporium Hotel on Saturday morning, before sitting down with the written media.

“There was risk of a big injury. Doctors feared that last night but the X-ray showed there is hope. The first 48 hours are the most important. We have good hopes. It’s too early to say. Last night we thought it might be over.

“Denise is Denise and says she’s fine. She’s a tough cookie and will do everything to be on the pitch.”

Ireland abandoned Friday’s game, which was played behind closed doors at Meakin Park in Brisbane, after 20 minutes after it became ‘overly physical,’ as per an FAI statement.

The Colombian Football Federation later said it “respects” Ireland’s decision. 

Pauw said it was the first time in her 47 years in football that she ever experienced the likes. She detailed the exact timeline of proceedings in her interview with the written media, which will be published on Saturday morning Irish time.

In brief, the situation became “dangerous” with Ruesha Littlejohn shipping a “huge tackle” before the challenge on O’Sullivan, which was “not within the laws of the game” and left the Cork native in “awful pain”.

“Over physical is not a problem once staying in laws of games,” Pauw stressed. “We know how to handle that.

“I went on the pitch to see how Denise was, something I never do. I took the players away and they felt in big, big danger. They were extremely upset and expressed fear.

“I discussed it with FAI and the referee, and we had no other option but to stop the game.”

Pauw also negotiated with Colombia and acknowledged their statement. “They didn’t try to convince us to play on. That says there was no other way to protect the players.”

Written by Emma Duffy and posted on the42.ie