The shortened 2021 Women's Six Nations is over and Ireland wound up finishing in, what most assumed, was the best possible spot they could finish.
Third in the table but a long, long way short of being able to challenge England and France, who have pushed so far ahead that the tournament has - at least at this point in its history - been rendered a two-horse race.
In their pre-tournament zoom interviews, the Irish players themselves seemed to be half-caught between railing against this idea, while also somewhat resigned to it.
There was a brief surge of optimism after the thorough demolition of Wales - a result perhaps put in further perspective by their loss to Scotland - but this was brutally quelled by France in Week 2.
Speaking after Ireland concluded their campaign with a humdrum win over Italy, head coach Adam Griggs said a six-week layoff was the immediate item on the agenda.
"We're going to give the girls six weeks off now where they'll de-load and get the bodies right," Griggs told reporters. "It'll be a good six weeks off for them to reflect on what's happened.
"It hasn't been an easy eight months for this group, we've had games cancelled, we've kept training. So, it's important for them for to take time out and for today, enjoy the win and enjoy third place.
"You can't just pass that over by looking ahead all the time. You've got to enjoy these small wins."
The head coach expressed reasonable satisfaction with the team's final position in the table while acknowledging the squad is still very definitely a work in progress.
"I think we're satisfied. We can always do more and I think that sums up this game as well. There were bits and pieces of the game where we were really sharp. And then sometimes our basic handling let us down. That's where we've got to grow as a team.
"We're speaking a lot about ball control. We were able to get our tries when we held onto the ball and looked after it. That's where this game is going. You dictate the speed of play and the tempo when you have that ball. We've got to keep getting better at that.
"We're absolutely happy that we finished third but the beauty of it is that we know there's more in us. We've a World Cup qualifying tournament to come next season.
"This block of games has been really valuable to us. You can do all the camps you like but to get test matches in and go back-to-back-to-back and back the physical side of test match rugby is really important to us."
Ireland did manage to lose to Italy in Parma in the Six Nations two years ago so they weren't to be taken lightly. Even so, a victory was widely anticipated, especially once the match was switched to Donnybrook due to pandemic related complications.
Nonetheless, it was a jittery first half performance from Ireland, with both sides guilty of handling errors and needless ruck infringements. Griggs put the jumpiness down to a desire to atone.
"Our core skills let us down a little bit. In saying that, after the week we've had, the girls were so eager to right the wrongs from last week, and I think in games like that you can try a little bit too hard. So, we created an opportunity and there was handling error or a penalty.
"I do genuinely think it came from a good place, it didn't get us what we wanted. So, at half-time, we can calm down, we're playing in the right areas of the field, we just need to build momentum and get into the game. And then you saw at the beginning of the second half, they started to do that.
"The biggest thing is that we always need to remember that there are two teams on a field. They're going to have opportunities and put you under pressure as much as you're trying to do the same to them.
"In training, you can't manage to replicate that, certainly with the physicality.
"If we look at the three games as a whole, the game management and our rugby IQ is something we've got to keep improving on. That's something that will come with game-time."
The afternoon was one to remember for sevens flyer Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe who raced in for two second half tries, the first a terrific slalom run off a set-piece move and the second a dash down the wing with the clock already past 80.
"I haven't played rugby in a year," Murphy Crowe remarked afterwards.
"And being able to come out here and put on a green jersey, and then to score two tries is just amazing. But I do it for my team; I do it for everyone else around me just to get them front-foot ball.
"And to see the smiles on all the girls’ faces once I turned around, they were all just running at me. I was like, 'this is amazing, like’. That’s just something you can’t buy, teamwork, camaraderie, it’s amazing."
