The tears have dried, but the scars remain from last December's Euro 2025 play-off final defeat to Wales.
It's hard to overstate how badly Ireland took that setback. It brought the curtain down on the Eileen Gleeson era, and heralded the beginning of Carla Ward's reign, with four big names calling time on their international careers in the months that followed: Diane Caldwell, Julie-Ann Russell, Niamh Fahey and Louise Quinn.
Ireland return to Lansdowne Road tonight, less tender but much changed.
Five wins from six Nations League games this year don't tell the full story; it's been a bumpy transition for the Girls in Green. Ward started with a 1-0 victory over Turkey at Tallaght Stadium but the shambolic 4-0 loss in Slovenia laid bare the players' psychological fragility - and maybe gave the head coach a reality check in terms of how expansive this team can be.
Ireland's 1-0 win against Slovenia at Páirc Uí Chaoimh was easily their most cohesive performance under Ward to date, though it should be asterisked by the visitors' need to merely avoid a four-goal loss to win the group. They sat back, let Ireland punch themselves out, and ultimately topped the group on goal difference.
Tonight promises to be a much stiffer challenge.
Belgium are ranked 20th in the word, seven places above Ireland. The Red Flames made it to the Euros, suffering defeats to Spain (6-2) and Italy (1-0) before beating Portugal 3-2 in their final group game. It wasn't enough to get them to the knockout stages.
They are a dangerous outfit, brilliant on the break. Belgium feed off the talents of captain and all-time record goalscorer Tessa Wullaert (94 and counting), a mobile, rangy presence in the top third. Wullaert is a killer in the box and a creator outside it, with a tendency to drift into wide areas to devastating effect. Wullaert can put the ball on a sixpence if she's afforded time and space.
Her card is marked, but Ward also singled out Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Jarne Teulings as "somebody else that can cause a lot of problems".
Irish players will be familiar with others plying their trade in England: Amber Tysiak (Jess Ziu's one-time housemate at West Ham), Janice Cayman (a teammate of Heather Payne and Katie Keane at Leicester City) and Justine Vanhaevermaet (once at Everton with Payne, now playing at Crystal Palace alongside Abbie Larkin, Hayley Nolan and Ruesha Littlejohn).
Belgium boss Elisabet Gunnarsdottir was linked with the Aston Villa job back in the summer of 2024, after Ward stepped away from the post to spend more time with her daughter. Villa ended up appointing Robert de Pauw, while the Belgians brought in Gunnarsdottir around the same time the FAI unveiled Ward.
Assessing her opponents' threats, Ward said: "They've got the ability to be very, very, very good. But they've got flaws in their system."
Belgium's tendency to blow really hot or really cold can be summed up by their two Nations League games against England in April. They were hammered 5-0 at Ashton Gate, then produced a barnstorming performance four days later to beat the Lionesses 3-2 at Den Dreef Stadium.
It is imperative Ireland prevent them from building momentum.
The difficulty of the task has been heightened by Courtney Brosnan's injury-enforced absence.
The Everton keeper has missed just one game in Ireland's last 42 internationals. Grace Moloney deputised for Brosnan on that occasion, away to Georgia last year (Brosnan was suspended), so she's the favourite to get the nod here ahead of Sophie Whitehouse and teenager Katie Keane.
Anna Patten is serving a one-game ban so Caitlin Hayes will come into central defence, potentially beside Aoife Mannion and Jessie Stapleton if Ward opts for a 3-5-2. She's promised to have a go at Belgium in Dublin, but is also conscious of their ability to break at speed. McCabe and Heather Payne in the wing-back positions offer pace plus safety in numbers.
Midfield could be an issue.
Denise O'Sullivan got her first 20-odd minutes of action since August in North Carolina Courage's 4-1 win against Bay FC last weekend, Ruesha Littlejohn has less than 90 minutes of football under her belt at Palace this season, while Jess Ziu and Jamie Finn are both feeling their way back into things following long lay-offs with ACL injuries.
Ward conceded she's light on options, so somebody is getting thrown in at the deep end - most likely Littlejohn. O'Sullivan's inclusion is a certainty.
The sprightly Marissa Sheva has been given a few runs in the middle of the park and might get another one, unless Lucy Quinn - clearly a Ward favourite - is asked to do a job in there.
In the top third, Emily Murphy was great against Slovenia and has the speed to be a good foil off Kyra Carusa up top. Abbie Larkin was impressive in Cork too - the Ringsend flyer will be in the conversation for a start on the right as an alternative to Payne.
This is a big test for Ireland. Their desire to play a possession-based game is admirable, but it's looked most flawed when they come up against genuine quality. Ward has spoken of marrying her own style with "the Irish mentality". The blend must be right tonight or else this tie could be done and dusted before the countries square up again in Leuven on Tuesday.
Prediction: Republic of Ireland 1-2 Belgium
Predicted starting XI: Grace Moloney; Aoife Mannion, Caitlin Hayes, Jessie Stapleton; Heather Payne, Ruesha Littlejohn, Denise O'Sullivan, Lucy Quinn, Katie McCabe; Emily Murphy; Kyra Carusa
Watch Republic of Ireland v Belgium in the UEFA Women's Nations League play-offs on Friday from 6.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to live radio commentary on an extended Game On with 2fm.
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