A win and a draw from their first two games over the weekend at the Olympic Qualifying tournament gave Ireland just the start they wanted in Milton Keynes and suddenly Sydney doesn't seem half as far away as it did when they learnt last year that they would be in the same pool as Germany, Spain, the USA and India.
Their 1-0 win over India on Saturday and yesterday's 1-1 draw with the USA, when Kim Mills equalised with one minute, 12 seconds left on the clock, leaves Ireland joint top of Pool A on four points with Germany and Spain, both of whom they still have to play.
Whatever the outcome of those matches, both of which they will be expected to lose, Ireland have, at the very least, clinched their place in the play-offs later this week for the fifth and final qualifying spot for the Olympic Games, and that was precisely the target they set for themselves when they arrived here.
"Do you think it's possible you might qualify," coach Riet Kuper was asked yesterday. "Well, it's not impossible," she replied, adding that if her team can pick up four points playing as poorly as they have then maybe anything's possible if they find their form.
True enough, Ireland were poor against India and at times against the USA even worse. Only Karen O'Brien, Caitriona Carey and Laura Brown were exempted from criticism by Kuper after Saturday's game, although she was happier with the team's second half against the USA.
The game against India, played in front of a crowd of 3,021 (the biggest ever to attend an all women's tournament at England's national hockey stadium) was just a minute old when both teams were forced to leave the pitch after a ferocious hail storm and when they returned India had the better of the opening exchanges.
Ireland soon settled, though, and the save Tara Browne made from Sumrai Tete's corner strike in the fourth minute was to be the last time she was forced into action in the game.
In the 27th minute Indian midfielder Neha Singh was yellow-carded for a stick tackle and Ireland took advantage of their extra player to mount their best attack of the game, involving Carey, Claire McMahon and Rachel Kohler, winning their third corner. Arlene Boyles' shot was saved by Tingonleima Chanu but Kohler was first to the rebound to give Ireland the lead.
"It doesn't matter how you do it at tournaments so long as you win," said Kuper after the game, a similar verdict to the one she gave after the draw with the USA, only this time a single point, rather than all three, was the reward for the team's perseverance.
The USA completely dominated the first half and should have led by more than a single goal at half-time. That score came after just four minutes, when Cindy Werley deflected Antoinette Lucas's corner strike past Browne, but Tracey Fuchs, Kelli James (who hit the post) and Werely again all had opportunities to extend the USA's lead.
Again the Irish midfield and attack failed to find their rhythm and possession was needlessly conceded time and time again, with an infinitely sharper USA controlling much of the game. Ireland's best moments were inspired by substitute Jenny Burke, replaced in the starting line-up by O'Brien yesterday, and she came closest to equalising in the 32nd minute when her shot from a corner was saved by Peggy Storrar.
The second half saw a much improved Irish display, with Mary Logue more influential in midfield, linking up well on several occasions with McMahon on the right wing and Carey in the centre. Still, though, there was little indication that an equalising goal would come their way as the USA defence dealt comfortably with everything thrown at them.
But then, with 72 seconds to go, Burke forced the Americans into conceding a corner, Ireland's third of the game, and it was her shot on goal that was deflected in to Mills' path by McMahon for the Pegasus forward to steal a point that her team hardly deserved. The USA very nearly snatched a last-gasp winner when they were awarded a corner with 35 seconds to go but Jill Reeve's shot went inches wide of the left post.
Ireland next play Germany tomorrow and Spain on Wednesday - realistically they won't expect to take anything from either game, but if they did they would be left with the dizzy prospect of finishing in the top two in the pool and automatically qualifying for Sydney without having to worry about the play-offs later this week.
IRELAND (v India): T Browne, L Caulfield, A Boyles, D Sixsmith, C O'Kelly, M Logue (capt), L Brown, R Kohler, C McMahon, J Burke, L McVicker. Subs: K Mills, K O'Brien, C Carey.
INDIA: T Chanu (capt), A Kaur, M Tirkey, M Goswami, S Dalal, S Waikhom, N Singh, S Tete, K Dalal, J Kulla, P Ngasepam. Subs: M Kharab, K Baa, P Ngasepam, S Kaur.
IRELAND (v USA): T Browne, L Caulfield, A Boyles, D Sixsmith, C O'Kelly, M Logue (capt), L Brown, R Kohler, C McMahon, K O'Brien, K Mills. Subs: J Burke, C Carey, J Orbinson, K Humphreys.
USA: P Storrar, M Vizzuso, K Fillat, K James, T Fuchs (capt), A Lucas, K Kauffman, C Werley, J Reeve, J Toepel, N Pelligreen. Subs: T Jelley, C DeBow, T Larson, K Barber.
