Jason McAteer's goal against Holland moves the Republic one step closer to a trip to the Orient (that's Asia, not Leyton) next year. It's still early days of course, with at least a play-off blocking the way from here to Japan and South Korea. But you can bet that some of the foot soldiers from the small army of good-natured fans are already trying to find out the first name of their credit union manager and how much their car is worth in the second-hand market.

For the older infantry it may be a chance to rekindle the glory days of Italy 1990 or even US 1994. And anyone with fond memories of the beer and opera-soaked summer of 1990 will wish them the best. So one doesn't want to rain on anybody's parade but forewarned is forearmed. World Cup 2002 is likely to be a whole different ball game to Italy and the US.

First the good news. The facilities are first rate, including the state-of-the-art, 70,400-seater Yokohama International Stadium where the final will take place. Even the smaller venues are likely to bring a tear to the soccer fan's eye. Big Eye Stadium in Oita, built in the shape of a globe to send an "environment message to the world" (it says here), is 100 per cent covered and features the world's first "sky cameras", which move at high-speed from goalpost to goalpost to give fans an aerial view.

Stadium food is likely to surprise too. None of your mangy sausages between two soggy pieces of bread but healthy options including noodles, sushi and onegiri rice balls wrapped in seaweed.

Both Japan and South Korea are very safe, with low crime rates and high quality public services. The only hooligans are in government.

Now the bad news. The matches are spread over 20 venues in two countries with different languages and currencies. Some venues are remote indeed. Niigata Big Swan Stadium can be found in the middle of paddy fields two hours north of Tokyo. Oita is a 90-minute flight and bumpy taxi ride from Tokyo.

Or how about Miyagi? Picture Mick and Gerry fresh off a 15-hour flight from Dublin via London. Red-eyed and half-polluted with airline booze, they wander over to the information desk at Narita Airport to ask for directions to Miyagi Stadium and are told to take the skyline express to Tokyo Station, then the Bullet Train (Shinkansen) to Sendai City, change to a local train to Rifu then start walking, avoiding the mountains and thick forests. Got that?

And then there's the prices. A room for the night at the Hotel Otani, recommended by Enterprise Ireland, will set you back almost 20,000 yen (about £147). Even the cheaper Hotel Ibis in Tokyo's nightclub district costs 15,000 yen (about £110). Ryokans, the Japanese equivalent of B&Bs are less hard on the pocket but Mick and Gerry may struggle with an owner who speaks no English and serves rice porridge for breakfast.

Still, they can always take refuge in one of Japan's 24 Irish pubs (Seoul has two) for a drink. Just ignore the odd mishmash of pub decor (my local used to have a Union Jack behind the counter) and resist converting prices back to punts or pints will curdle. A pint of Guinness or Kilkenny at Mad Mulligans in Toranomon, Tokyo, will leave you 1,000 yen (about £7.30) lighter, a measure of whiskey 800 yen (£5.90).

It's prices like these that have kept Japan in a dismal 36th place (four places behind South Korea) of global tourist destinations - the bottom of the Group of Eight industrial nations. Only 4.4 million tourists visited the country in 1999 - about a quarter of the 16 million Japanese who travelled abroad in the same year.

Small wonder then that travel agents are sweating about the draw in the South Korean city of Pusan on December 1st. "Few have a clue about how expensive things can get in some Asian cities," says Ray Treacy Travel, which ferried over 2,000 people to the US in 1994.

"If we get drawn in Tokyo or some other large city we will be trying to put people off travelling to be honest with you, because folks will go out, drink like fishes for three days and run out of money for food and accommodation."

The Irish Embassy in Tokyo is bracing itself for a spate of lost, broke and blearyeyed travellers if the Republic qualifies and plays in Japan.

Still, for those willing to do it on the cheap there is hope. First, find a relative among the 1,000 or so Irish people living in Japan (sorry, a pack of distant cousins has already booked their place in my 8 ft x 10 ft bedsit).

If you have to eat, stick to simple and nutritious local fare like gyudon (beef and rice bowl) which sells for about 300 yen (£2.20). And don't drink.

Did I mention the earthquakes?

Further information on stadium venues and local attractions in both countries can be found at http://www.worldcuparchive.com/ specials/venues.html