So many candles have been lit by parents and friends of the Irish hockey team ahead of today's World Cup Qualifying game against Lithuania that Amiens cathedral is virtually aglow. But, having bombarded the heavens above, at 10 francs a go, with pleas that the Gods and umpires be on Ireland's side this time around, there's nothing more to be done - except worry that there'll be some divine intervention on Lithuania's behalf today.
The anxiety ahead of the play-off's 12.0 start (Irish time) is relieved only slightly by the knowledge that it's not an 'all or nothing' game, that the losers will have another opportunity to make it to Perth for the finals.
Both sides, however, know that today is, without doubt, their best chance - a defeat would leave them having to beat Scotland or India tomorrow, a tricky enough task in itself, to win through to a three-match play-off series against the US, one that has to be played before the end of February.
There was no such negative talk, though, to be heard in the Irish team hotel yesterday as the players readied themselves for today's match. It's one they know they can win if they play to their best but, equally, one that is entirely losable should they fail to rise to the occasion.
"Of course we didn't want to end up in this position - we wanted to finish in the top two in the pool, but if you told us before the tournament that winning a play-off against Lithuania would take us to the World Cup we'd have said 'that's fine'," said coach Riet Kuper. "I'm not saying we will definitely beat them but I know we are capable of doing it, and that's all we need to know going in to the game."
Lithuania, who finished eighth at the last European finals (1999), two places higher than Ireland, have had a good tournament, their best results so far a 2-2 draw with Scotland, a 3-2 win over Canada and a respectable 2-1 defeat by Russia.
They finished third in their pool, behind Russia and Japan (who, along with England and Ukraine, are through to the World Cup) and have impressed Kuper with their strength, pace and team work.
"They might not have the sparkling individuals that India and Ukraine possess but they are compact and solid and I know they will fight just as hard as us." Ireland has never played Lithuania in a full international before, their only meeting coming in a practice match before the 1999 European finals when Ireland won by a single goal.
Victory today would see Kuper, the former Dutch international who works for NATO in Holland, realise the ambition she set for the team when she was appointed Irish coach in 1998. "All I ever wanted was to take these players to a higher stage, a world stage where they would gain respect and be recognised as a good team. That is a long road, you get to the top very slowly, but they deserve that stage because of their work, commitment and the huge personal sacrifices they have made."
TODAY: Semi-finals: England v Japan, 2.30; Russia v Ukraine, 2.30. Fifth-eighth play-offs: Ireland v Lithuania, 12.0 (Irish time), Scotland v India, 12.0. Tomorrow: Final, 5.0; third/fourth, 2.30; fifth/sixth, 12.0; seventh/eighth, 12.0.
