Republic of Ireland attacker Lucy Quinn can trace the side's sliding doors moment to a fixture that took place a year ago as they prepare for today’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Slovakia.
Last September, on the night the Birmingham City player made her debut after a series of roadblocks, Vera Pauw’s team defeated Australia 3-2 in an international friendly at Tallaght Stadium.
Had they lost to one of the world’s highest ranked sides, it would have been their eighth straight defeat and perhaps pressure would have started to mount on the management team. Instead, they have lost just twice in their last 12 games – a battling 1-0 reverse against Sweden and 1-0 to Russia in the Pinatar Cup.
"It was something [the losing streak] that I was aware of coming into the camp and obviously when you’re playing against a team like Australia you just want to go out and perform your best," Quinn told RTÉ Sport ahead of today's game.
"I don’t feel like we were up against it as people expected us to be, I think we performed really well and we showcased ourselves and our abilities.
"To come away with a win and break that streak and give us a whole bundle of confidence, [it] just benefited us all through the year.
"I feel like it it’s just confidence with ourselves and confidence within the group.
"Football is a mental game, definitely. Obviously you have to be physically capable but mentality is really important and I think that triggered a real winning mentality within the squad.
"We have seen ourselves go from strength to strength from then."
Ireland lead! Lucy Quinn's terrific free-kick cannons off Mackenzie Arnold and rolls in.
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As well as their battles with Sweden – they earned a brilliant 1-1 draw in Gothenburg in April - and that win over Australia, Quinn also pin-pointed their 2-1 win in Finland in qualifying as another moment where the group’s mental fortitude was evident.
That result put them in pole position for the play-off spot behind Sweden, and they confirmed it with a 1-0 success at Tallaght last weekend despite not reaching any great heights.
"That was a very strong team, physical, direct, full of quality," she said. "It was a loud stadium; I remember that crowd being particularly loud and something that was really intimidating.
"Our girls put their bodies on the line, an unbelievable performance and it really set up our campaign."
A final win in qualifying today would really cap off that campaign as it would send them into round 2 of the play-offs and provide an easier route to the finals in Australia and New Zealand.
Quinn is not particularly phased by the path that will be laid out in front of them, but said that the game in Senec presents the same challenge – and that's simply to win a football match.
"It’s very complex, there have been lots of conversations and people trying to wrap their head around it all," she said of the qualifier process.
"Ultimately you go out and whatever game you’re given, whatever team you’re playing against, you have to go and have to win. No excuses.
"We’ve set ourselves up into a really good position in terms of the qualification route. Winning against Slovakia is only going to help more with that.
"It’s something that’s there, we know how important it is, but it’s not going to affect the ultimate goal, which is to go out and win every game you play."
Follow Slovakia v Republic of Ireland via our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app, watch live on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player or listen to national commentary on RTÉ Radio 1 Extra.
