Dara O'Shea confident in stepping up to senior Ireland ranks

Dara O'Shea has been progressing through the professional game from the Conference, League Two, Championship and the Premier League. 

The 20-year-old Dubliner has now moved from being an Ireland fan who used to go to games in the old Lansdowne Road as a schoolboy with his Dad to this week being a senior international player for the Republic of Ireland taking on England at Wembley.

“It has been my breakthrough year in football,” said O’Shea when speaking to the media on the eve of the UEFA Nations League game against Wales in Cardiff.

“Getting in the team in West Brom, signing a new deal and getting promoted and then making an appearance for my country. It has been amazing, dream year for me. I’m hungry for more having gotten those caps.”

His manager Stephen Kenny praised the mentality of the player. “Dara O’Shea is an example of the mentality that you want an Irish player to have because he has gone on loan to the Conference with Aldershot.

"He played 30 odd games for Exeter in League Two before he went to West Brom where he played a part in their promotion winning season and now he has played some games in the Premier League.

“He is still only 20. He has been a consistent improver over the age groups and he is a very good young professional.” 

O’Shea acknowledged that moving through the different leagues has helped his progression to now being in contention to start in Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday where he might have to mark Gareth Bale.

“Playing at the different levels had been great for my development. Each was a step up. I have had to work hard. 

“Stepping into the Premier League – the best league in the world - against some of the  best players in the world is different from the Championship. Playing on the international stage has been amazing. 

“I want to play against the best players in the world as I want to be the best that I can be. That is the only way that you can improve as a player is to test yourself against that type of opposition. 

“When you see the names on the teamsheet of world class players that is something I look forward to and I set a challenge for myself to come out on top and win my individual battles against that player.”

He made his senior debut for Ireland against Finland last month. “It was something that I’ve always dreamt of doing since I was a kid. Going to games when I was younger with my Dad in Landsdowne Road, being buzzing the whole day in school knowing I was going to watch Ireland later on.

"To have done that now and be one of those players who has played for my country is a dream come true.  

“It was a bit surreal,” said O’Shea about playing in Wembley. “I came on at an early stage and it was amazing for me to get that backing of the gaffer to put me in in such a big game at Wembley. I’d never played there before and I was really looking forward to it. The game didn’t pan out the way we wanted it to be.”

O’Shea had played under Stephen Kenny previously with the Republic of Ireland under-21 team and is confident that positive results will come the way of the Boys in Green in the future under Kenny.

 “We know how much it means to him and to the group to do well. Having played previously for him, I know what is required from him and what a good manager he is. How he has his teams play will benefit this country in the future.

“Everyone knows the task in hand. Everyone wants to do well for the gaffer and want to do well from their country. I feel like the results will become more positive. It is a work in progress. Things take time and the results will pick up.”

Kenny keen to move on from England game with the Nations League now the focus https://t.co/zhxa7KgKR8pic.twitter.com/Wr44KKnVBm

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) November 14, 2020