Now that the doom and gloom around the nation's near-miss in the chase for a World Cup place has begun to lift, the focus shifts back to the bread and butter.
Tonight at Richmond Park, St Patrick's Athletic and Sligo Rovers come into a game that matters to both for very different reasons.
For Sligo, it’s about stopping the slide. Three defeats on the spin can drain the life out of any dressing room, never mind one so young.
There is no shame in going to Richmond Park, digging in, staying compact and leaving Inchicore with a boring 0-0 draw.
From a Sligo point of view, that would represent a valuable point on the road against one of the division’s stronger sides. The problem, of course, is that it would also mean another game without a goal.
Historically, goals have never really been an issue for the Bit O' Red. Even under John Russell, whatever their flaws, they have usually carried an attacking intent.
There has generally been a bravery about them, a willingness to take risks, to commit bodies forward and to trust that they can hurt teams. That is why their goal return so far this season feels like such a surprise.
Sligo have scored just three goals in their eight games so far and they sit near the foot of the table while St Pat’s are among the front-runners.
Three goals is a major underperformance at the top end of the pitch. It can become a confidence issue as much as anything else.
For forwards and attackers, goals are reassurance. They are proof that the work put in during the week is leading somewhere.
When that reward is missing, players can begin to snatch at chances, that final pass can become rushed, indecision can kick in and games start to feel heavy.
I have no doubt Russell used the extra training during the international break to work on these issues - end product, composure, execution in the final third, maybe even just simplifying things.
Good managers do that in difficult spells. They strip the game back, remove any complications, and try to restore belief.
For this young Sligo group, belief is everything right now. The lucky thing for them is that they have an experienced manager steering them through it. Russell knows the league, knows the club and knows what these moments look like.
He won't enjoy the run they are on, but he is well equipped for these firefighting situations.
Sometimes a season is not transformed by brilliance. Sometimes it begins with an ugly away point, a clean sheet, a scrappy goal, and a small bit of belief can return to the team.
St Pat’s, on the other hand, are looking at this game through a completely different lens.
Stephen Kenny’s side have made a strong start. Their only defeat came away to Shamrock Rovers early in the campaign, and since then they have looked every bit like a side with serious intent.
What stands out is that goals do not seem to be an issue at all. Kenny spoke before the season about Pat’s needing to improve at the top end after not scoring enough last year, and the early signs suggest that message has landed.
The goals are coming and, more importantly, they are being spread around the team rather than resting on one pair of shoulders. That can be seen as a side with real balance.
Richmond Park, too, is beginning to feel like the sort of place Pat’s want it to be. The crowd is close to the pitch. The energy can build quickly and when Pat’s get on top there, it becomes a difficult place to settle as an away team.
For a side with ambitions of pushing for silverware, home form is everything. Creating a habit of beating sides beneath them at home is important for title-ambitious sides.
There is a pressure on Pat’s tonight.
They will know Sligo arrive vulnerable. They will know this is a chance to keep pace at the top.
They will also know that after the hurt of how last season finished, after missing out on Europe, these are the games they simply have to take care of if this campaign is to become the response their supporters want.
That is what makes this an important night for both clubs. Sligo need a foothold. Pat’s need momentum.
One team is looking for recovery, the other is looking for confirmation.
That can make for an interesting game, because desperation and confidence can produce very different types of tension.
Pat’s will want to impose themselves early, move the ball quickly and make Richmond Park feel like a long evening for the visitors.
From Sligo’s point of view, a point would do nicely, even if it comes wrapped in a dull 0-0.
