While Girls in Green fans can look forward to some high-profile fixtures against Europe's elite after achieving promotion from the second tier of the UEFA Women's Nations League, the real bonus lies further down the line on the road towards the next World Cup, according to former international Rachel Graham.
Abbie Larkin's late goal in Leuven on Tuesday night saw the Republic of Ireland lose 2-1 to a higher-ranked Belgium in the second leg of their promotion/relegation play-off but it was enough to seal a 5-4 aggregate triumph and earn promotion to League A.
With the next slate of World Cup qualifiers replicating the Nations League format, Carla Ward's side will face some of Europe's best in group stage qualifying.
However, regardless of where Ireland finish in their group, the real pay-off in being promoted comes with the guarantee of facing at worst a runner-up from League B in the opening round of play-offs which gives the Irish team a puncher's chance of progressing to a final round.
"This was the end goal, this is why we wanted to get in League A. We know when we get up there, we're going to have really tough games and the last time we were up there we finished bottom of the group. But that's not really what it's about," Shelbourne midfielder Graham said on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast as she analysed the Irish displays in both legs against Belgium.
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"It's about getting to a World Cup and this is the one that gets us the easiest route. We're obviously guaranteed a play-off now and we'll play against a team that are ranked lower than us and we'll be seeded in the draw.
"It's a much easier route for us and when we went to Australia (in 2023) it was an amazing time for this team. But you can't live off one tournament and expect girls to keep playing or coming to games based on a tournament we were in two or three years ago.
"The end goal is to get to Brazil. It would be a huge moment for this team to get to a back-to-back World Cup. It would be amazing.
"Obviously the disappointment of the Euros was a real killer and we're probably still feeling the effect of that."
Belgium were not the first major tournament regulars that Ireland have beaten in recent years, with a famous victory over France in Cork last summer.
But Graham feels what was at stake in this play-off puts the 4-2 first leg win right up there among the greatest results by an Irish women's senior side.
"I think the biggest win we've had so far was that one in Scotland that got us to the (2023) World Cup. I think that was probably the biggest moment so far for this team," she said.
"And like you said, we beat France but there was nothing really on the line and France didn't have their greatest team out either.
"So I think this is a huge one just because our campaign in League B didn't go great and we were probably a bit underwhelming, so we've gone about it the hard way.
"I just think in terms of all those factors, (that) we didn't play well in League B this time round and then to go on and still get the job done and to do it with a late winner... and I can't remember the last time we have scored four goals against a team that are ranked above us and who are just back from the Euros.
"So to do that was incredible but I think overall it's a huge victory in terms of how we did it and then to get us to League A and obviously gives us an easier route now to try and qualify for the World Cup which was the main goal."
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