Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw is hopeful Denise O'Sullivan will recover in time for Thursday's World Cup opener against Australia after the Cork midfielder suffered a shin injury in Friday night's behind-closed-doors game against Colombia.
Ireland asked for the match to be abandoned after 20 minutes following a bad challenge on O'Sullivan, with an FAI statement describing Colombia's approach as "overly physical".
Cork midfielder O'Sullivan immediately went to hospital for a scan on her shin.
She's wearing a protective boot and using crutches. However there's no fracture - it's a soft tissue injury - and the consensus in the Irish camp is that the damage could have been a lot worse. O'Sullivan will now work with the FAI medical staff on a return-to-play procedure, with Pauw crossing her fingers that the injury settles in the next 48 hours.
"She went to hospital and there is still a chance that she can make it," Pauw told RTÉ Sport's Tony O'Donoghue.
"There was potential for a big injury. The doctor feared that last night but that the X-ray showed there is a chance she makes it.
"It is a serious injury. The first first 48 hours are very important. She is off her feet. We have good hopes."
Ireland will have a warmdown session at Meakin Park in Brisbane on Saturday and a day off on Sunday before they ramp up preparations for Thursday's enormous showdown with the Matildas in Sydney.
Tony Gustavsson's side enjoyed an impressive 1-0 victory over France in their final warm-up game in Melbourne on Friday, Mary Fowler - whose father is from Dublin - firing home the winner in the second half.
