The Republic of Ireland are determined to finish their UEFA Nations League campaign with a sprinkling of festive goals to send them into the new year on a high.
The Girls in Green have already won their group and sealed promotion to League A thanks to last month's late win over Albania in farcically wet conditions.
Four wins out of four with 13 goals scored and just one conceded is proof positive that Ireland have been a class apart against modest rivals.
League A houses the top 16 teams in Europe, so far bigger tests await, with the Euro 2025 qualifiers in the spring time also certain to bring hefty challenges.
For now though, Ireland are enjoying the more expansive approach Eileen Gleeson has implemented in her time as interim manager, liberating themselves against honest but limited sides.
"We know we got promotion to League A but when we get to League A we’ll have a new set of challenges," Gleeson reflected ahead of Friday night's clash with Hungary at Tallaght Stadium.
"You can look at the scoreline and say we want to be better, we want to win 5-0, we want to score goals, but there is [several] aspects of the performance that we can do better, that they can do better so we look at that, we analyse that, and look to improve it.
"Hungary no doubt have developed through the campaign, Northern Ireland [who Ireland play in Belfast on Tuesday] have developed with their new coach. We’ll be respectful of that and aware of that, pushing ourselves to be better in everything that we’re doing."
One of the big beneficiaries of Ireland's greater commitment to pushing bodies higher up the pitch has been Kyra Carusa. The California-born striker has four goals in her last four games, having scored just twice in her previous 15 appearances.
Undoubtedly the calibre of the opposition has been a factor. Albania, Hungary and the North are easier to penetrate than the likes of the USA, France and Australia, but goals breed confidence, and Carusa is on the crest of a wave right now.
"I feel like that energy is contagious and it catches on quite quickly, especially amongst a squad that is as tight as we are and as on the same page as we are," said the 28-year-old.
"I think as a striker myself when the goals start going in it becomes so fluid. You can see the many facets of our team and how dangerous we can be from every angle. It's not just set pieces, it’s not just one player, it’s not just one action that a team has to watch out for us or has to take note of.
"It’s many people on the field making a difference, being out here and being able to put the ball in the back of the net. For me that’s really exciting, but I also think that’s a testament to how we’re training and that confidence we have, and that ability for us to lift each other up.
"I like to see all those names on the scoresheet."
A Katie McCabe-driven Ireland eased past Hungary 4-0 in Budapest back in September, though the hosts were missing some important players that night after an illness swept through their camp the week of the game.
Gleeson is braced for a sterner test tomorrow, as she looks to end her caretaker reign with six victories out of six.
"I'm not too sure they will be in a low block," she added when asked how Ireland plan to approach the contest.
"They’ve played fairly similar in all their games throughout the campaign. They’ve been assertive in their press actually and pressed high, with two. Initially with us it was a five, a four and one. But I’m not too sure they’re going to be in a low block.
"For us if teams drop off we’ve been working on movements to create space in behind and to create that space and exploit that space. We’ve got a lot of creativity now. Like I said, we’ve got really positive and assertive wide players. We’re using players in different pockets of the pitch then to link the play centrally and also be able to use the wide areas.
"We’ll be prepared for every eventuality but I do think Hungary will be a little bit more assertive in their starting position when they come out."
After the fallout of Vera Pauw's messy departure, the atmosphere is a lot less heavy around the camp these days. Reflecting on her time at the helm overall as 2023 draws to a close, Gleeson said: "I see my future with this team, I'll always be part of this team, I love this team, and Ireland and Irish football.
"I’ll always be part of this team. As Kyra said, we have a super positive environment, the girls have been amazing since I came in, there was a lot of change, a lot of transition, we really hit the ground running and we as a staff have been trying to create an environment where we coud prove them right.
"We wanted to top the group, we’ve done that. We’ve got promotion to League A but it’s not any complacency, we want to be better so that’s what we’re driving now."
Watch Republic of Ireland v Hungary in the UEFA Nations League on Friday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live commentary on 2fm
Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
