Hockey: When they met last month in tournaments in Bremen and Edinburgh Ireland and Scotland might have had an inkling the games would serve as dress-rehearsals for a potentially critical meeting the following month at the European Championships in Dublin. They would have been right.
Indeed, there's an all-or-nothing feel to this morning's game between the teams at Belfield (9.30) - the winners will stay in the A division of European hockey, the losers will be relegated.
And, not that any added incentive is required to emerge victorious this morning, the winners, who will finish at least sixth in the tournament, will also be guaranteed a place in next year's World Cup Qualifier in Rome, a not inconsiderable bonus prize. (The seventh team in Dublin may also make it in to the Rome line-up, but that depends on permutations involving Spain, World Cup hosts next year).
Having won those two July games, both by a 1-0 scoreline (the second with a line-up that was missing five key players), Ireland, four places above Scotland in the world rankings, will go in to today's match as favourites.
Scotland came to Dublin with the sole objective of avoiding relegation, a target that seemed mildly ambitious in light of their 8-0 and 4-1 pool defeats by Germany and England. They did, though, put up a better show in that second game against the English and drew 1-1 with Ukraine.
"If we play to our best we will beat Scotland," said Irish coach Riet Kuper yesterday. "Because they have a similar style to us, and are less skilful than the likes of the Dutch, it will be easier for us to play against them. We have confidence going in to this game, but we know we have to play well."
Reflecting on her team's pool campaign, in which they beat France, drew with Spain and lost to the Netherlands, Kuper picked out the Spanish tie as her great frustration. "We can't expect to beat the Dutch, so that is not a problem, but not beating Spain was disappointing," she said, of a game which, if won, would have seen her top-four ambition for her team realised.
While there was no shame in losing to the Netherlands, nor indeed drawing with Spain, Ireland's performances have been disappointing so far. One goal in 210 minutes identifies much of the problem, but while the attack has failed to fire, the passing in midfield has rarely been sharp, fast or accurate enough.
The one success story has been the defence in which Bridget McKeever, in particular, has been quite immense. "She has gone from "better" to "the best"," said Kuper of the 22-year-old from Ballymoney who has hardly put a foot wrong in the three games to date. "She is an absolutely class player and will be for many years to come for Ireland. She is not afraid of anyone, for such a young player she has looked so comfortable at this level."
McKeever is one of the players Kuper would, most probably, like to see leaving Irish club hockey, which she persistently describes, with some exasperation, as "too weak", a view she expressed again after Wednesday's game against the Dutch.
It is for that reason the coach would hope mooted moves for Eimear Cregan and Jill Orbinson to Dutch club PUSH, based in Breda and playing their hockey in the top flight of Europe's strongest league, will be confirmed, although both players will need to overcome injuries.
For now, though, all thoughts are on beating Scotland today, relegation to the B division a simply unthinkable prospect for Irish women's hockey.
TODAY: Fifth-eighth place play-offs: Ireland v Scotland, 9.30am; Ukraine v France, 12.0. Semi-finals: Holland v England, 2.30; Germany v Spain, 5.0. TOMORROW: Seventh-eighth play-off, 10.0; Fifth-sixth play-off, 12.30; Bronze medal match, 3.0; The Final, 5.30.
