After another exhausting week of drama, the Republic of Ireland will make history on Saturday when they walk out in front of over 38,000 supporters to take on Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.
It's the first clash of the inaugural women's UEFA Nations League, a competition that feeds directly into qualification for the 2025 Euros.
In the simplest terms, if the Girls in Green win their four-team group (which also includes Albania and Hungary), they will be promoted to League A for next spring's qualifiers. That would guarantee them, at a minimum, a place in the play-offs, in which they'd face one of the lower seeds.
How the UEFA Women's Nations League impacts Ireland's Euro 2025 hopes
But all that's for another day. Right now the focus is on a historic meeting with the North.
No Ireland women's football team has ever played a fixture at the Lansdowne Road venue, though 'Goose' Doyle's rugby charges did hammer Italy there in a Six Nations encounter back in 2014. That was a double-header with the men's fixture against the same opponents. Today is a little different.
It stands alone, all by itself, as an occasion of real significance; yet more tangible evidence of the remarkable growth of the women's game in this country over the last three years in particular.
"There's been a number of milestones," reflected interim boss Eileen Gleeson.
"We had the introduction of the Women’s National League, we’ve seen that expand down through the youth levels. We’ve seen this year the introduction of professional contracts into the league, we’ve seen clubs add resources, we’ve seen criteria for coaches to be better around the women’s game.
"Does it still need work? Absolutely, but it’s moving in the right direction. I think as the development of the game is going to happen, you’ll see a lot more around that which we’ll continue to drive."
Gleeson is the FAI's Head of Women and Girls' Football, a position created to further drive and develop the game from grassroots level up. She has no desire to become Vera Pauw's permanent successor but the Dubliner is a good fit for the here and now; a well respected voice of authority who knows the squad well having served as Pauw's assistant before taking the Glasgow City job in 2021.
She was in firefighting mode earlier this week. Diane Caldwell might as well have stood on the table and flung a big box full of Waterford crystal at the wall such was was the impact of her withering assessment of Pauw's tenure.
"The results, performances that we got, were in spite of Vera being coach," she said in a remarkably candid press conference.
Gleeson responded to the remarks by saying the players are entitled to their opinions, stressing that they've earned the right to have their say on footballing matters given where they've come from, whether you agree with them or not.
Fair comment.
Debate will rumble on about whether Pauw was unfairly isolated by the players, or if her methods and management style simply ground the team down. But nobody can question the legacy of the squad, the impact they've made together since taking a stand at Liberty Hall in 2017 over the unacceptable standards they were enduring as international players around that time.
Today is another moment to reflect on the journey, take stock and raise expectations even higher.
"Yeah, I mean, in my vision yes," Gleeson replied when asked if she could see Ireland playing more games at the Aviva Stadium.
"That's progress. We’re here today, it’s had a really good response, Tallaght will always be part of us... but progress is progress and that means growth and we have to respond to the growth and the needs of the game. I think that is what will happen naturally."
Northern Ireland travel to Dublin with a new manager, Tanya Oxtoby, the well regarded Australian coach who served as Emma Hayes' assistant at Chelsea.
There's certainly potential in a very committed, hungry squad. They've played three friendlies this year, and though the North were well beaten by Wales (4-1) and Scotland (3-0), July's excellent 2-0 defeat of the Czech Republic should serve as a warning.
"We're coming here to test ourselves against a team that's come from a major tournament, where we want to be," said Oxtoby.
"From our point of view there's going to be some fantastic parts to the game, there’s going to be parts where we’re going to learn a fair bit about where we’re at, so we’re comfortable with that I think."
Their squad is mostly made up of part-time players, including veteran captain Marissa Callaghan, who plays for Cliftonville in the Irish League Women's Premiership.
Oxtoby hinted that she's willing adopt an expansive approach, promising "flexibility and variety" as she puts her stamp on the side. However it's likely the North will look to sit in and frustrate Ireland on Saturday, to quieten the home crowd and keep themselves in the contest as long as possible.
Gleeson made some interesting squad selections last week, not least the inclusion of Blackburn Rovers midfielder Tyler Toland, who had a major fallout with Pauw which led to her spending almost four years in the international wilderness.
The returns of Emily Whelan and Saoirse Noonan, coupled with Gleeson naming Marissa Sheva and Heather Payne as midfielders, suggests Ireland could go a little more gung-ho.
Two up front - perhaps Whelan and Kyra Carusa - would not be a surprise, with a defensive trio of Savannah McCarthy, Louise Quinn and Diane Caldwell freeing up Katie McCabe to go in the middle of the park with Denise O'Sullivan and either Megan Connolly, Lucy Quinn or Lily Agg.
Sheva and Payne have the legs to fill the wide areas in that scenario, but really it's a blank canvas for Gleeson who might just settle on a straightforward 4-4-2.
We might also see a debut after highly-rated Celtic defender Caitlin Hayes received international clearance in time to make the matchday squad. Hayes - who qualifies through her Offaly-born grandfather - has trained with the team all week.
As part of the 50-year anniversary celebrations of the women's national team, the FAI has offered two free tickets to every player who has ever pulled on the green jersey.
It'll be a poignant day for those who soldiered in front of tiny crowds with little reward or fanfare.
"It's not just about the squad tomorrow walking out, it's about everybody who's played their part over the course of the last few years," said McCabe.
"It’s the volunteers at your local clubs, it’s the grassroots coaches that come out, it’s the referees when you’re 10 years old… You know what I mean, it’s everyone. It’s mams and dads driving their kids an hour to go train two or three times a week. It's not just about us tomorrow, it’s about every single person that’s played their part in women’s football the last 20, 30 years.
"We hold that incredibly proud and we’ll be giving it an absolute battle and our 100% as always when we put on the green shirt."
Watch Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday from 12.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to live commentary on RTÉ 2fm
