With the end near, and Ireland set to face the final curtain against Nigeria, Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe admitted to regrets in how their Women's World Cup journey has panned out.
However, the Arsenal star views the experience as hugely positive overall, with 'experience' the operative word as the national side plot future forays into the finals stages of major international competitions.
After suffering losses to co-hosts Australia and then Canada by the narrowest of margins, Vera Pauw’s charges conclude their historic campaign with a clash against Nigeria in Brisbane on Monday.
McCabe was in a reflective mood when she spoke to RTÉ Sport on Saturday, saying: "You don’t want the journey to end. That was the heartbreak against Canada because you knew it was all over and we’d be going home after the Nigeria game.
"We wanted to get out of that group stage, we really felt that we could achieve that.
"To be so close, in terms of going 1-0 up [against Canada] and thinking you can get something from the game, but those big nations have experience and know what it's like to go behind and fight their way back.
"All we can do is learn from these experiences.
"We’ve been on this journey – together with Vera and her staff – for these last three or four years, but as captain I feel like there is so much more growth we can have within this team.
"It feels like we’re only getting started, in a way.
"We’ve got a taste for it now. A first major tournament and we want to make sure that’s going to be a regular thing going forward. Euros would be incredible.
"But Nigeria are up first to make sure we end the tournament as well as possible."
The aggressive, attacking approach adopted against the Canucks was in stark contrast to the tentative tactics deployed against the Matildas in Ireland’s opener.
Hindsight may be 20/20, but McCabe admitted to some regrets over the latter strategy.
"Looking back on that game, I would have maybe liked to put a little more pressure on Australia," she opined.
"I know we went 1-0 down. It kind of changes the rhythm of it and you have to go for it, but I really felt if we had stepped up on them a little bit more, we could have got something from it.
"Only for the penalty – and bless Maz [Marissa Sheva], she was actually filling in for me at the time because I was caught up out of position – I really felt like they wouldn’t have hurt us.
"To reflect on that was frustrating, but we made sure in that Canada game we took the positives from the second half against Australia.
"We were creating chances, playing with no fear, running at defenders and creating set-piece opportunities and goalscoring opportunities.
"We wanted to start that Canada game like that as well and I think we did.
"I think we’ve shown that when we can step forward and play and press, we’re not actually too bad at it."
McCabe, who like many of us, only discovered after the game that a goal direct from a corner is known as an Olimpico, was thrilled to join the elite club of Irish World Cup goalscorers.
"To see it go in, I couldn’t really believe it," the 27-year-old admitted. "To give fans and Irish people watching back home that moment, is really something special.
"The girls, we were looking at the celebration pictures after and there’s this picture where everyone is off the bench and up in the air, which was really nice.
"It’s incredible to be spoken of in the same breath as those legends. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of.
"To play for Ireland and to score the first goal at a major tournament, it probably won’t sink in for a long time. Maybe when I’m old and retired I’ll be like, ‘Yeah I did that’."
McCabe could have bagged a brace against Canada, but for the last-ditch intervention of stealthy Kadeisha Buchanan.
"That midfielder came out of nowhere, I did think about swinging my right at it but I kind of felt no one was behind me. But they came in and closed down that space for me to open up on my left.
"Looking back you’re kicking yourself because they are such big opportunities and fine margins."
McCabe is anticipating another stiff challenge from a Nigeria side who pulled off a shock win over Australia on Friday.
"We knew what we were getting into when we were drawn in this group – Olympic champions, the host nation, and Nigeria are an immense team.
"It’s going to be a different sort of game. Yes, they’ll bring the pace and power but tactically as well.
"We need to be ready, which we will be because we want to end the tournament as best as possible.
"If we win, it can determine a lot in the group as well, so we’ll be fully focused on what we have to do."
McCabe hopes to be unshackled, with the opportunity to play in a more advanced role against the Super Falcons, but it’s a desire that may well go unfulfilled.
"I’ve asked, but I don’t think my wishes will be granted," the Dubliner quipped.
McCabe also hopes some of the longer-serving peripheral players in the squad get some World Cup minutes.
"I’d like to see that. If I could play all 23 of us, I would. It’s something that they’ve worked towards their whole life and career.
"I’m hoping that within the game dynamics players will be able to have that moment, but it’s up to Vera and the staff to make those decisions."
The historical context of achieving World Cup qualification is something yet to be fully savoured, but McCabe and her team-mates won’t be resting on their laurels and are determined to use the experience as a springboard to achieve even greater future feats.
"It’s something as a team we have been so proud of," McCabe said. "Yes, we have created history by achieving this, but what we want to leave are those special moments to young girls and boys watching us back home.
"We want to leave a new legacy to say, ‘I remember where I was or what I was doing when I saw the women’s national team go to their first major tournament’.
"But it’s not about being satisfied now we’ve ticked it off, we want to push for more.
"The growth I see in this team and the levels we can go to, I do really feel like we’re only just getting started. That’s what’s most exciting.
"It’s incredible for the young girls. They have got their first World Cup caps under their belts.
"We have got such quality going forward – young players going to England, wanting to do better and train at the highest level possible. That makes me so happy and optimistic about the future for this team."
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Watch Republic of Ireland v Nigeria in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player on Monday at 11am, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to live commentary on 2fm
