Denise O'Sullivan has proved a sensation at Canberra United and fans can thank the countless nights she spent playing on the street with her nine brothers and sisters growing up in Cork.
The Irish superstar will finish her seven-game stint as Canberra's guest player when they face reigning champions Melbourne City away on Saturday.
Denise O'Sullivan will play her final game for United in Melbourne on Saturday. Credit:AAP
O'Sullivan has been one of the best midfielders in the W-League this summer and admits it's going to be "really hard" leaving Canberra next week.
The 24-year-old hasn't lived at home since she was 18 but has tattoos of her family and said there's nothing else she'd rather be doing than travelling the world playing soccer.
Advertisement
"I come from a really sporty family, growing up all my brothers played so I used to be out on the street with them every night until mum called us in for dinner," O'Sullivan said.
"It was crazy but amazing growing up in a four bedroom house with five brothers, four sister and with mum and dad, thats why my family is so close nowadays.
"It was just really cool and being able to play with my brothers and watch them play and I think my brothers were my role models.
"One of my brothers, John Paul, got a cap for Ireland and that was really cool and made me want to play for my country as well."
O'Sullivan realised her international dream and debuted for Ireland at 17 before going on to played 68 times for her country.
"The first time I played with a team I was nine, I started off with a boys team then moved on to a girls team when I was 12 because thats the age you have to move on," O'Sullivan said.
"I just lived for it every single day and I think it was when I got called up to the schools Irish team when I was 14 that I really committed myself to playing soccer.
"Then when I got older I got called into 17s, that was the point for me I decided I wanted to do this as a profession and go play in America and that came true.
"I left home when I was 18 and I went to Scotland and played there for two and half years with [Rachel] Corsie at Glasgow City then to Houston dash and now Im at North Carolina.
Denise O'Sullivan debuted for Ireland when she was 17.Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong
"I had to grow up pretty quick, obviously leaving home at that age was scary and something I had to think about but once I left I got very independent. It's made me a better person."
Canberra captain Corsie described O'Sullivan as one of the best midfielders in the world when she arrived in the capital and the speedster hasn't disappointed coach Heather Garriock.
O'Sullivan said her experience at United has been better than anything she expected and backed the team to win the W-League without her.
"Its been absolutely brilliant, just coming into this team I really feel like Im home here and the girls have just welcomed me with open arms," O'Sullivan said.
"Heather has been great, the club has been really good to me and its just been really fun every day at training, it's awesome here, the girls feel like family.
"Leaving is going to be very hard, I'm very close to the girls. But Im very confident in this team, it's full of great players.
"Absolutely I can see myself coming back, next year hopefully. I just want to thank the club and my teammates and the fans have been fantastic."
W-LEAGUE ROUND EIGHT
Saturday: Melbourne City v Canberra United at AAMI Park, 5pm.
Eamonn Tiernan is a sports reporter with The Canberra Times
Most Viewed in Sport
[contf] [contfnew] 
Australian Breaking News Headlines
[contfnewc] [contfnewc]
