Wes Hoolahan has admitted that he owes Robbie Brady a few drinks after his winning goal against Italy in Lille last night.
Hoolahan crossed for Brady to head the goal that sent Ireland through to the knockout stages of Euro 2016, where they will face hosts France in Lyon on Sunday afternoon.
The goal saved Hoolahan’s blushes as he had fluffed his chance to be the hero after coming on as a second half substitute.
“The character it shows of him (Hoolahan) to put a ball in like that on his head shows the quality player he is. He’s been brilliant for us” - Shane Duffy
The 34-year-old found himself clean through on goal with seven minutes left, but he took too much time and his tentative effort was easily saved by Salvatore Sirigu.
It looked like Ireland were about to make an early exit, until Brady popped up on the end of his Norwich team-mate’s inch-perfect cross.
"For Robbie to get his head on that was great,” said Hoolahan.
“He has run from the inside of his own half and to show that determination to get on the end of it.
"I was thinking when it happened 'Oh no, what's going to happen at the end'. I just kept my concentration and thought another chance might come or I might be able to create something.
“You need to stay focused and in control to the last minute. Luckily enough, Robbie has got on the end of it and I probably owe him a few drinks.”
Martin O’Neill joked in his post-match press conference that he would have taken Hoolahan’s head off if Ireland had not won the game.
But on a serious note, O’Neill praised the 34-year-old’s mental strength to keep his focus after squandering the opportunity.
“I am delighted for him because he might have rued that miss,” O’Neill said.
“It was a great chance for us and I must admit while I am incredibly positive, I was concerned that we might not create as good a chance again.
“But we did. It came up and he did keep his head and put in a lovely ball. Brady still had to go and head it and with the goalkeeper coming at him. Brady has gone as bravely as anything.”
Meanwhile, defender Shane Duffy, who was thrown into the heat of the battle to win just his fourth cap, hailed the character in the squad to recover from what could have been a devastating blow.
He said: “You’re always gutted but you always believe in this team’s spirit that there’s going to be another one. It’s a matter of whether we could take it and we did.
“The character it shows of him to put a ball in like that on his head shows the quality player he is. He’s been brilliant for us.”
One a personal level, Duffy was thrilled to make his first competitive start on what he described as a “special night”.
There was little time for nerves as he only found he was in the team when the squad arrived at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium on the outskirts of Lille.
“It’s hard to put it into words at the minute. I’m just trying to take it all in. I’m just ecstatic that we won,” he said.
“He (O'Neill) relies on me so there’s a big confidence just to throw me in the biggest game of my career, and a lot of us. What a night. It will be hard to top.
"They were good, trust me. They have great movement. Great passing of the ball, but I think it just shows how well we played. They all play for top teams. We went through them all week and how they play. We did our homework and it worked.”
