It’s been a rollercoaster season for former Monaghan United goalkeeper Aaron McCarey.
The 26-year-old will be vying with uncapped Kieran O’Hara and Colin Doyle, who boasts just a single cap, for the goalkeeper’s position to face Turkey on Friday, and says it has been an "amazing feeling" training with the squad this week.
His club experiences this season however are somewhat different.
Six years with Wolves failed to yield a single senior appearance at Molineux – "it never really happened for me" – and a move to Ross County in the summer of 2016 was made in order to get his career back on track.
Games in his debut season were few and far between, but he has appeared 14 times this campaign for the club rooted to the bottom of the Scottish Premiership. He’s back in favour, but the club have won just five games all season and have conceded more goals (53) than anyone else in the league.
"We’re struggling at the moment, but I’ve finally found some consistent game time at Ross County this year," he told RTÉ Sport.
It’s not his first taste of being around the camp either. Five years ago he was an unused sub in a 2-0 defeat to Spain in New York under Giovanni Trapattoni, but is delighted to be back in the fold and pushing for contention.
"It’s just nice to get the opportunity to come in and try and get in the thoughts of the coaching staff and the manager.
"It’s been an amazing feeling. I have been lucky enough to represent underage the whole way up and it gave me a taste for it. To get the call to come in, it’s brilliant and something I am really looking forward to.
Not all the faces are new either to the Monaghan native.
McCarey played alongside Matt Doherty and Jeff Hendrick in Paul Doolin's Ireland U19 side which reached the semi-finals of the European Championships in Romania seven years ago, and says the morale in camp has been very positive ahead of the friendly in Antalya.
"There is a great bond between all the lads. A lot of them are of a similar age, there are a couple a wee bit older, but I know how they feel!
"Everyone has made everyone feel welcome."
McCarey is another member of O’Neill’s squad with domestic league experience – First Division rather than the top-flight – and believes League of Ireland football is ideal preparation before trying to carve out a career cross-channel.
"I think it is a great grounding for players. Even since my time there, albeit I played in the First Division, the league has improved an enormous amount.
"Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers have played in the Europa League and have been brilliant for the League. We are starting to see a steady influence of players move across and hit the ground running straight away.
"If you get the opportunity you just go out and do your job"
"It comes from playing competitive men’s football. I think you get lost sometimes when you play in England. You play U18s, U21s, there is no real reserve football as such, but nothing beats playing on a Friday night back at home for three points.
"It means an awful lot, people are playing for bonuses and to put bread on the table. There is no better way to learn."
Has he been given any inkling in training whether he will see game time in Turkey?
"Nothing yet," he says. " You just prepare as if you are playing like any other week. If you get the opportunity you just go out and do your job."
Follow Turkey v the Republic of Ireland via our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and the News Now App, or watch exclusive terrestrial coverage on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 5.00pm with kick-off in Antalya at 5.30pm.
