The three points was all that mattered, but the Republic of Ireland have work to do if they are to get another positive result against the Netherlands next week.
The record books will show a 2-1 victory over Slovakia, but Colin Bell and his Republic of Ireland charges know the scoreline doesn’t tell the whole story and a significant improvement is required next week when European champions Netherlands come to town.
Amber Barrett came off the bench to rescue the three points for Ireland with the clock ticking towards 90 minutes, but for all their possession and endeavour, the lack of a cutting edge until the final quarter will give Bell plenty to mull over at the weekend.
There were mitigating factors. Harriett Scott and Tyler Toland were ruled out through injury and he went for a tactical reshuffle in a flexible 4-3-3, with Leanne Kiernan leading the line.
The blustery conditions didn’t help either team get into a passing rhythm, but with the breeze at their backs in the opening 45 minutes, not to at least hit the target was something Bell was not pleased with.
🎥 #IRLWNT🇮🇪 GOALS!@FAI_WNL strike duo @kiernan_leanne & @amberbarrett09 score to secure a vital three points in our @FIFAWWC qualifying campaign! 👌
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) April 6, 2018
Goals ⬇️ and Full Report ➡️ https://t.co/egXhXEVBhI #COYGIG pic.twitter.com/B9ZnCfZbgu
"The conditions didn’t help and we just had to adapt, which unfortunately we didn’t do so intelligently in the first half," he said post-match.
The lack of penetration was a feature, but credit must go to Bell and his team for their endeavour to keep possession. Denise O’Sullivan gave an all-action display in midfield and was ably assisted by the returning Megan Connolly and Niamh Fahey.
"They worked really, really hard," Bell observed. "They won a lot of tackles, intercepted a lot of balls."
Arsenal winger Katie McCabe was always a threat out wide and sought to link up with Kiernan regularly from the wide channel on what was a special day for the 22-year-old.
The team captain, who grew up in Kilnamanagh, a five minute drive from Tallaght Stadium, led her team out for the first time at home. The team mascot was her younger sister, one of her 10 siblings.
Despite the inability to test the Slovakia goalkeeper, McCabe never felt Ireland would leave with anything other than the three points.
"I never had a doubt in my mind that we would drop points. I knew what way we could move the ball. The first half didn’t go according to plan, but we got there in the end.
"My family were behind the dugout cheering me on and it was nice that my little sister walked out with me as mascot. It was an unbelievable experience."
Both Irish goals showed that once opportunities are created, Ireland do possess players with the ability to punish opposition. Kiernan’s clever run and finish was composure personified, and will have pleased Bell in particular who intimated he was disappointed with her first-half showing, urging her at the interval to get more involved.
Marie Hourihan will have nightmares over the equaliser, the first goal conceded in the qualifying campaign looked like a harmless cross, but between the evening sun and strong breeze, caught the shotstopper by surprise.
Barrett however put her hand up for selection next week with a sensational finish, though it won’t be all praise from her manager who was not best pleased with the exuberant celebrations.
"I’m going to have to tell her off for taking her shirt off. First of all I don’t like that, I don’t think it’s the right thing to do and thirdly, if the referee had been really small minded, which she wasn’t, she could have been booked.
"Those are things we don’t need."
While Slovakia at home was always earmarked for maximum points, there is little chance of complaceny for the visit of a Netherlands side smarting from the goalless draw last November.
The lights were barely out in Tallaght when the European champions secured a 7-0 victory over Northern Ireland. Their scoring exploits have them ahead of Ireland on 10 points at the summit of Group 3 and are yet to concede a goal.
Bell knows revenge will be on the menu.
"We drew with them 0-0," he said. "They were really disappointed with that result and they are coming here not to beat us, but to really thrash us. That’s their aim and we have to be on guard."
Match-winner Barrett summed up the night best.
"Everybody is talking about the Netherlands, but we had a job to do tonight."
The first-half of the job was narrowly achieved, but a much bigger challenge awaits.
