Gary Connaughton reporting from Tallaght Stadium
The 3-2 victory over Zambia would have been incredibly pleasing to Vera Pauw, but the result may have also added to her ever-growing headache ahead of the Ireland World Cup squad announcement next week.
With some of the team's most consistent performers not featuring in this game, a number of the more fringe members of the squad were given an opportunity to impress against the African nation. Quite a few of them took the opportunity with both hands.
Amber Barrett, who many felt was battling for a spot on the plane, scored two goals and put in brilliant display during her 45 minutes on the pitch. The likes of Abbie Larkin and Claire O'Riordan also made their case for selection.
Vera Pauw dreading Ireland squad cut
With only 23 places available, there is no doubt that Vera Pauw has some tight decisions to make in the days ahead.
Speaking to the media after the game, she said that these decisions will contribute to the toughest moment she has faced in the entire campaign up to this point.
It's the worst day of the campaign, the moment that I have to take that final decision, because that will be on my shoulders.
We do it together. We do everything together with the technical stuff. But at the end, I'm the responsible. So I'm not looking forward to that...
The pressure of the World Cup pushes up the performances. As you've see, the players on the pitch, they've performed better than they've ever done - some of them. That makes it more difficult.
I think we need a video also to have a very honest [assessment] because that is the crucial thing. I want to give a very, very honest opinion at the end and take those honest decisions, without any lies or anything - favours, or whatever.
It needs to be based on the performance on the pitch.
There will no doubt be sleepless nights ahead for the players, but the same can be said of Pauw and her coaching staff. She is very much aware that she will make and break dreams with her squad.
After the squad announcement, Ireland will have a game against France in Tallaght on July 6th before they face Colombia in Brisbane on July 14th. Their opening game against Australia will follow six days later.
Before they reach that point, some difficult decisions will have to be made. There are still 33 players in contention for selection, meaning that ten will miss out on the final list.
Pauw said the process is a 'horrible' one, but it is something she knows comes with the success of reaching the tournament. She also revealed that she text the other players who were cut from the 50-player long list on the way to tonight's game.
What I said to my brother is, these days, it's just not nice. It's horrible. It's really horrible.
But for them it's worse. I need to take it on my shoulders. It will turn around after those decisions are made and then we can go ahead. But until that moment it's not the ones who make that are in my mind but the ones who do not make it.
This is the first game we've had since coming together. All those players who have not made the squad the must feel bad. I've text every single player. I did it on the way to the stadium because I felt that, I felt that they're not here, they're not with us. It hurts.
But it's part of elite sport. It's part of it but it hurts.
A part of elite sport no doubt, but one that will be tough to take for the players who miss out.
Even for those who do not make it on the plane, they can be proud of the contributions they have made up to this point. For those that do, a whole series of even bigger tests lie ahead.
SEE ALSO: 5 Ireland Players That Boosted Their World Cup Prospects In The Win Over Zambia
