There's no white flag being waved above the Irish camp in Milton Keynes just yet, but with China standing between them and a place in tomorrow's play-off for the final qualifying spot in the Olympic Games, confidence isn't exactly soaring either.
Ireland play China today (12.30 p.m.) for the right to meet the winners of the match between Japan and the USA tomorrow, with the victors in that tie joining Britain, Germany, New Zealand and Spain (the top four at this tournament) in the Olympic Games alongside hosts Australia and the African, Pan American, Asian and European champions, South Africa, Argentina, Korea and Holland, respectively.
Ireland lost 3-0 to China the last time the nations met, at the 1997 World Cup Qualifier, and based on their form in their pool matches at this tournament - they had victories over Japan and Russia, a draw with New Zealand and a narrow 1-0 defeat by Britain - the world's 11th-ranked team will expect a similar result in today's playoff.
Try telling that, though, to Irish left-back Linda Caulfield who celebrated her 21st birthday yesterday by training in the morning and wandering about the village of Stony Stratford in the afternoon, where the squad escaped the delights of Milton Keynes for an hour or two.
"I woke with a few more wrinkles this morning alright but I suppose that's just an age thing," said the Loreto, Wexford old girl. "But I'm feeling very mature now and much more responsible. To be honest, though, I haven't even thought about my 21st, the only thing on my mind has been making it to Sydney. "Of course we were disappointed after losing to Spain but we haven't let the heads hang - there'll be plenty of time for that when we get home, while we're here we just have to keep picking ourselves up and giving it everything we have. "We always thought we'd have to do it through the cross-over matches anyway, so we're in exactly the position we expected to be. Now that China are in there too they are the team to beat so if we didn't meet them in the first crossover we'd have to beat them tomorrow anyway to qualify, so why not beat them today? "We know how strong and fast they are but I think we'll find more space against them than we did against Spain because they don't close you down as much."
The confidence of youth, eh? If Caulfield and her team-mates do find a way past the Chinese tomorrow then their Olympic hopes will soar.
They have played the USA and Japan seven times in the past two months, winning four games, drawing three and losing none. But they must beat China first, and it's a big but.
