Monaghan & Co face daunting task
Today Ireland play England in the Women's Six Nations at Musgrave Park with the home team giving no chance of a victory. None whatsoever.
Instead much of the talk in the lead up to the game is how much England could score with suggestions a record defeat is on the cards.
Such suggestions have not been received well in the Irish camp, understandably so, and the team that includes Sam Monaghan from Navan will out to prove the doubters wrong.
Yet any talk of an Irish victory is fanciful. Reality dictates that for Ireland today's game will, which kicks off at 2.15, will be about damage limitation.
Last year Ireland lost 69-0 to to England in Leicester after a brave, battling display by the team in green.
This week's build-up has been dominated by talk of a potential championship record scoreline, with England threatening to surpass their 89-0 mark which they set against Scotland in 2011. The Red Roses are the top ranking team in the world at the moment.
"This stuff about a record score, and not playing the game, it's just very insulting to us as players who go out every day and put everything into this Irish jersey," said flanker Dorothy Wall (below) on Tuesday.
Ireland have lost all three games they have played so far in this year's Six Nations against Wales, France and Italy, conceding 108 points, scoring just 15 so Greg McWilliams side have it all to do.
If Ireland lose by less than the scoreline they conceded last year against England it will be seen as something of a moral victory, a step in the right direction. That, at least, is something for Monaghan & Co to aim towards.
Last year Sam Monaghan had a brilliant Six Nations campaign and was voted the Players' Player of the Year for 2022.
* Guinness, proud partner of the Women’s Six Nations Championship, have teamed up with Irish international rugby players Linda Djougang and Sam Monaghan as part of their ‘Never Settle’ campaign which aims to make rugby a sport where everyone can belong regardless of their gender, race or sexuality.
Guinness are hoping Irish fans will get behind Ireland today in a full house at Musgrave Park.