But it was a sluggish display by the hosts who laboured to yet another deserved success.

“We want to keep our standards high. We know coming into the Euro’s next year we’re going to be facing even harder opposition. We’ll recap the win and move on to Tuesday (away to Northern Ireland in Belfast in the final Group game)” declared Player of the Match Heather Payne.

She continued “I think we knew Hungary were going to be better than the first time we played them (4-0 last September in Budapest). It was a tough night. But I think in the end, we showed resilience. We mightn’t have had our best performance. But we got the three points. We’ll move on to Northern Ireland on Tuesday.

The Right wing-back spent most the evening attacking in the visitors half rather than defending in her own half.

“I’d like to see myself as an offensive wing-back more than anything else. I just tried to get forward as much as I could, so we could create some chances. Luckily in the end, we got a goal out of it.” 

The 23-year-old Everton star created the vital goal in the 64th minute when Hungary captain Henrietta Csiszar slid the ball into her own net after away goalkeeper Reka Szoc failed to cut-out Payne’s cross.

But the Galway native credited substitute Sinead Farrelly’s incisive pass in the build-up to the all important score.

“Sinead is a very talented footballer. She’s really good at combining the play. So it was nice to combine with her in the midfield, get the ball out wide and get a good cross into the box.

Despite the fifth straight win in the competition, the Girls in Green at times struggled to break down their dogged opponents in what was their penultimate match of the Group – especially in the first 45 minutes at Tallaght Stadium in what was a low-key affair under bitterly cold playing conditions.

“I don’t think it was our best performance. We know that. In the end, we’re going to build on this. We’ve got to look ahead to Tuesday and Northern Ireland. And finish the group on a high” viewed Payne.