The Republic of Ireland sealed UEFA Nations League promotion over a month ago, but captain Katie McCabe and interim manager Eileen Gleeson have insisted they're travelling to Windsor Park on Tuesday desperate for victory as they look to end the campaign with a sixth win out of six.
Denise O'Sullivan's late winner against Albania at the end of October left Ireland with an unassailable advantage at the top of the group.
Having battled past Hungary last Friday in a scrappy affair, the Girls in Green now head north to face Tanya Oxtoby's fired-up Northern Ireland in an international derby. It's no dead rubber either. The North can guarantee themselves a place in the promotion play-offs with a surprise win ahead of the Hungarians, who take on Albania in their final game.
There'll be an edge to this one, and Gleeson - who has no fresh injury concerns - is prepared to meet fire with fire.
"They've got an incentive to finish second"
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) December 4, 2023
Katie McCabe is envisaging a tough challenge from Northern Ireland at Windsor Park on Tuesday #COYGIG #IRLWNT pic.twitter.com/9n77WkQwZR
"We've had our goals and our objectives for this campaign," she said on the eve of the collision.
"Do we want six from six? Absolutely. I had a few direct and indirect questions about our motivations or intentions around this game, where maybe we wouldn't try to win it. There's not a single chance ever that we wouldn't be coming here to win and keep that story going moving forward to the Euros 2025, and six from six. We'll pick a team that we want to win the game."
McCabe echoed those sentiments, adding: "When you play for Ireland there's always motivation, no matter what competition you play in, whether that's a competitive game, Nations League, a friendly, there's always motivation there to play and represent Ireland.
"Of course we want to make sure it's six from six tomorrow but we know how Northern Ireland are going to come at us. They've got an incentive to finish second, they want to progress and we're playing at Windsor Park.
"Hopefully a lot of people will come and watch. It's going to be a massive game but we're under no illusions that it's going to be an easy game. There's always a healthy rivalry between the two countries. It's going to be a great game."
It's just over 29 years since a senior soccer international between the two countries took place at Windsor Park.
Jack Charlton's Boys in Green swept to a 4-0 Euro 96 qualifier in November 1994. A repeat of that would be a nice way for Gleeson to end her time at the helm, with the FAI expected to announce Vera Pauw's permanent successor in the next week or two.
"I've loved it," Gleeson said. "What's not to love? Leading your country, working with these players, they have great character. I love the girls, I love Irish football. It's been thoroughly enjoyable.
"It's a big game, I'm delighted to be here, it's a nice circle of events. We started in the Aviva [against the North in September], we end up here in Windsor again with all-Ireland football as such. I'm just enjoying that moment, enjoying being here with Katie McCabe beside me."
When asked to summarise Gleeson's spell in charge, McCabe delivered a glowing review.
"Five wins, four clean sheets, top of the group - she's been fantastic," the Arsenal star said.
"Not just Eileen of course, but the team she's brought in around that. It's been really nice to be part of and I think you can see in the way we're trying to play from the start of the campaign until now, trying to implement the principles they've set.
"We obviously have our foundation in terms of how defensively disciplined we are too but we're trying to build on that, become more front-footed, be brave on the ball and play forward. I'm hoping tomorrow we can finish it off on a high."
Watch Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Nations League on Tuesday from 5.30pm 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
