Dublin is preparing to host a massive party on Tuesday as Ireland’s place at next summer’s European Championships is confirmed.
Giovanni Tarapattoni’s side produced their most convincing display of the campaign to Beat Estonia 4-0 in Tallin with former Celt’s at the heart of the triumph.
Shay Given kept his seventh clean sheet in eight international appearances whilst Aiden McGeady and Robbie Keane tore the Estonian’s apart to take the Irish into the spotlight for the first time since the 2002 Roy Keane dominated World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
Keane played in those finals a decade ago and after the heartache of being cheated out of a World Cup place by France two years ago the former Celtic striker savoured last night’s success more than anyone.
“It’s amazing how football can turn around for you,” the Ireland captain said. “The lads were devastated in the dressing room [in Paris], and now we don’t know what to do with ourselves.
“We have never been in this situation before, 4-0 up. It’s only half-time, but we can certainly enjoy it. You don’t get too many nights like this.
“But we will look forward to Tuesday night. There will obviously be a bit more calmness and a bit more ease with the game on Tuesday, rather than if we were 1-0 up or had drawn.
“It was tremendous and full credit to the lads. We knew we could get a result, there’s no question about that, but I don’t think anyone would have predicted that it was going to be 4-0.
“We certainly wanted to come and try to get one or two goals and then take them back to Dublin, but to win 4-0 in their backyard, it was an absolutely tremendous night for us.”
Given added: “I just spoke to Aiden McGeady in the lift before the game and he was asking about the World Cup.
“I was saying I haven’t been to the European Championships, and he said, ‘Well, I haven’t been to anything’, so for people like that, it’s going to be a great buzz if, hopefully, we can get there.”
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