IT JUST HAD to be.
Denise O’Sullivan, the hometown hero.
The Cork midfielder sent Ireland on their way to an unforgettable result on a historic night at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, a stone’s throw from her home in Knocknaheeney.
Eileen Gleeson’s side stunned France 3-1 to copper-fasten a seeded place in the Euro 2025 play-offs later this year with their first win of the campaign.
The Páirc erupted in the 66th minute as O’Sullivan broke the deadlock, and the majority of the 18,399 in attendance were in dreamland 10 minutes later when Julie-Ann Russell made it 2-0.
France hit back to puncture the carnival atmosphere slightly, but not for long, as Anna Patten capped a famous victory against the team ranked second in the world.
Les Blues were already Euros-qualified, and played a weakened team as they eye the Olympics, but that won’t take away from this magical result.
The Frank and Walters’ ‘After All’ rang out at the final whistle and there were incredible scenes of joy as Ireland embraced the end of a six-game losing run. Russell’s one-year-old daughter Rosie was central to the celebrations as her remarkable story continues, and so to was hometown hero O’Sullivan.
She returned the captaincy to Katie McCabe tonight following her suspension, but the Corkonian leads by example with or without the armband.
She was a leading light through the opening period, hitting the ground running as Ireland’s most advanced midfielder, tigerishly dispossessing French players and making things happen on the ball.
The North Carolina Courage captain — who has been linked with a move to Manchester United recently — was always an outlet, and typically ran herself into the ground.
It was slightly surreal to see the Páirc not lined out for GAA. The football pitch was much smaller on the larger field, while the scoreboards before kick-off read Ireland 0:00 France 0:00, before last-ditch attempts to cover the points with black sheeting.
An O’Sullivan Gaelic football punt kick amid a break from play as half-time approached was the only real reminder of our traditional games throughout. On All-Ireland hurling final week, association football took precedence here.
New Ireland men’s manager Heimir Hallgrímsson was even there to take it all in.
The hosts had plenty of chances as they pressed high and made this an even contest from the off; the tireless Russell and Leanne Kiernan injecting energy and pace up top.
There were some teething problems in the final third, but it would eventually come good.
Early in the second half, O’Sullivan made a surging run forward with the crowd roaring her on. This could be it. But her decision making let her down; the through-ball to Kiernan was poor and the chance went a-begging.
Others did too. But Ireland were turning the screw.
66 minutes. It had to be. Written in the stars.
🇮🇪 1-0 🇫🇷
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 16, 2024
Denise O'Sullivan places a low shot from just outside the box into the corner of the net and Ireland lead!
📺 Live on @RTE2 and @RTEPlayer
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In 2011, the second last time Ireland made a rare venture outside Dublin to play in Cork, O’Sullivan made her home debut against France in Turner’s Cross. 13 years later, she scored on her first appearance at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
After a superb Patten diagonal delivery and glorious set-up from Russell, O’Sullivan fired home from distance into the bottom right-hand corner. Constance Picaud got a hand to it, but power won. The whole team celebrated together, with passion aplenty as the 30-year-old tapped the Irish badge in jubilance.
Russell followed suit and took her goal brilliantly, the returning Galway United star having ended the 2024 goal drought in Friday’s 2-1 defeat to England in Norwich.
After her earlier assist, O’Sullivan happily returned the favour and then helped lead the celebrations. She lifted her arms repeatedly and riled the crowd up. Up on 60 of her family were present. They were loving it.
France called for reinforcements as they desperately tried cling to top spot in the Group of Death, and Vicky Becho pulled one back in the 79th minute.
But Ireland held on and went one further: another Rebel, Megan Connolly, coming off the bench to swing a corner in from the left, and Patten heading home her first international goal to cap an unforgettable night on Leeside.
One which fittingly belonged to Denise O’Sullivan.
“It’s magical,” Gleeson beamed afterwards.
“Denise is incredible. She is our key player in the middle. She is a great leader and character, she has a great work rate, she was excellent, she really controlled the game.
“I am super happy for her to get the goal here. The cheer, I mean, it said it all.”
“What a servant to Irish football, a true professional,” Russell added, but Gleeson summed it all up with her final words.
“She is a legend.”
