Republic of Ireland ready to bounce back after dramatic World Cup warm-up clash – Soccer News

Defender Heather Payne says it’s again to enterprise as typical for the Republic of Eire after a dramatic Friday evening that noticed their behind-closed-doors pleasant with Colombia aborted and midfielder Denise O’Sullivan taken to hospital with a suspected shin damage.

The World Cup warm-up in Brisbane was deserted after 20 minutes as a consequence of what the Soccer Affiliation of Eire (FAI) would later clarify in an announcement was because of it changing into “overly bodily”.

Preliminary scans revealed O’Sullivan had not sustained any fractures, with an replace anticipated throughout Monday afternoon’s coaching session – simply three sleeps away from the Ladies in Inexperienced’s World Cup debut in opposition to Australia on Thursday evening.

Whereas they are going to be hoping for extra encouraging information about their team-mate, Payne insisted the group have in any other case put the tumultuous occasions behind them, saying: “It’s a brand new week as properly, and I believe everyone seems to be simply… our primary focus right here is the World Cup and we’re all actually centered on that recreation on Thursday.

Constructive information for Denise O’Sullivan

X-Ray and CT Scan present no fracture

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

— Eire Soccer (@IrelandFootball) July 15, 2023

“It’s Monday now, it’s a brand new week, the sport is just some days away. Truthfully, we’re all good. We had a restoration day and a break day and it was good. We’ve been collectively for therefore lengthy now, it’s practically 5 weeks, so it’s good to get out and about and do your individual factor. However yeah, I believe everyone seems to be simply centered on the upcoming recreation.”

Gamers loved a relaxation day on Sunday, with some heading to the seashore and others assembly koalas at a sanctuary close by their Brisbane base.

The Republic have been handed the intimidating job of opening their maiden World Cup in entrance of greater than 80,000 followers at Sydney’s Stadium Australia, the place the bulk can be cheering for co-hosts the Matildas, 12 locations above Payne’s quantity 22 aspect in FIFA’s world rankings.

It doesn’t get any simpler for the one Group B nation to by no means have featured within the world showpiece, with Olympic champions Canada – the Republic’s highest-ranked group rivals in seventh – in Perth to comply with, then a first-ever assembly with Nigeria in Brisbane to conclude the group stage.

A sequence of occasions #COYGIG | #OUTBELIEVE pic.twitter.com/1Hgg2mVuBI

— Eire Soccer (@IrelandFootball) July 15, 2023

In Could, 23-year-old Ballinasloe native Payne graduated from the College of Florida, the place she performed for the Division One Seminoles. She stayed within the States for a month, each to coach and shut that individual chapter of her profession, earlier than becoming a member of up along with her Republic team-mates.

She stated: “I used to be capable of get pleasure from my final time there and take all of it in, however since I’ve been dwelling we’ve had camp after which I used to be capable of simply type of absolutely swap over to this mode.

“I believe over the previous couple of weeks I’ve type of been specializing in each (the World Cup and subsequent steps) a bit, however now that I’ve gotten right here my full focus is on the World Cup. It is a big, big match and our first, so I simply need to be absolutely centered on that.”

Sooner or later, Payne will inevitably seem in a type of pen-in-hand promotional pictures, sporting the colors of whichever membership she chooses to name her subsequent dwelling.

For now, nevertheless, inexperienced is the one shade that issues.

Payne added: “Sporting that shirt means every part. I believe now greater than ever, I believe since we see the Irish assist and we see that the entire nation is behind us, I believe it’s that means rather a lot now greater than ever.

“It’s completely sensible. I believe once we’re on the market on Thursday in entrance of 80,000 folks after which realizing everybody at dwelling can also be watching, I believe we’re all going to be tremendous proud.”