After starring for Shamrock Rovers on Friday last, Jack Byrne was then called into the Republic of Ireland squad for the upcoming games against Gibraltar and Georgia.

Needless to say the Dubliner is trying to take it all in, with Mick McCarthy declaring from his vantage point in the Tallaght Stadium stands that Byrne was the "star of the show" against Sligo Rovers.

Summing his call-up to the national side, the 22-year-old told a press conference: "It’s been a mad couple of days, and I’m still trying to get my head around it.

"It was a surprise that I got called up.

"I’m delighted for Shamrock Rovers giving me the chance as well.

"I just want to do well, get myself back on track and without Rovers, Stephen Bradley, [Stephen] McPhail and the other coaching staff none of this would have been possible so it’s great."

"I feel as if I'm getting better with the games. I needed the games. The last two games I've been kind of getting to my level (St Pat's and Sligo Rovers). Before that I was quite tired to be fair.

And it is certainly is a case of getting back on track for Byrne.

As a teenager he promised so much when at Manchester City. When not breaking into the first team, a short spell on loan at Dutch club Cambuur preceded spells at Blackburn, Oldham, and Kilmarnock. Then came the call to join the Hoops last autumn.

Some would say that Byrne is "too good" for the League of Ireland. That said, the player feels his call-up to the national squad is good news for other young players plying their trade domestically.

"It’s good for the younger players in the league, I’m still only 22 as well but I think it’s good for the likes of Trevor Clarke and Brandon [Kavanagh] at our club as well after getting called up to the U21s.

"If themselves and other young players can see that maybe there is an international pathway there it will be good. A lot of the international teams at the different age groups are made up of League of Ireland players so I think it can only be good for the league." 

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So how has it been for Byrne on the training pitch?

"The tempo is obviously a lot higher," he added.

"Everyone is trying to impress the manager and get in his thoughts."

Follow Gibraltar v Republic of Ireland (kick-off 5pm) with our live blog on RTÉ Sport Online or the RTÉ News Now app, watch live on RTÉ2 or listen live on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport.