Republic of Ireland 2 Bosnia-Herzegovina 0: Martin O'Neill hails 'special' night in Dublin as Irish reach Euro 2016
Two goals from Stoke striker Jonathan Walters clinched a 3-1 aggregate victory for the Republic of Ireland and booked their place at next summer's tournament in France
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Your support makes all the difference.“Special, proud, fantastic, special, indescribable, special… I’ve got to stop saying special.” Martin O’Neill ran out of superlatives as he sought to describe how he felt, and how he felt about his Irish team, after Jonathan Walters’ goals against Bosnia secured qualification for Euro’16.
That was hardly surprising after an exhaustingly committed performance from a team who seemed destined not to qualify midway through the tournament, but revived to qualify, via to play-offs, with a 3-1 aggregate victory, secured with a 2-0 win in Dublin last night.
“I could not be more proud,” said O’Neill. “I am delighted for myself, naturally, but the game is about players and I am thrilled for them. They have put heart and soul into the games.
“We never gave up, even after the Scotland game. It was a tall order but it was always in our hands. They are a fantastic bunch of players who want to play for their country. They have shown that in the qualifying tournament - they have given everything. I am delighted for them. That moment when the referee blows the whistle and you are in France is very special indeed, the more so as it means so much to a lot of people.”
O’Neill reserved particular praise for his goalscorer. “Walters has had a qualification tournament to remember,” said his manager of the Stoke striker. “We’ve had a number of consistent performers, but he has been exceptional.”
I have had to make some big decision. One of the biggest was bringing Roy in and he has been phenomenal
He also paid tribute to his assistant Roy Keane, whose hiring initially divided opinion. “I have had to make some big decisions [in my career]. One of the biggest was bringing Roy in and he has been phenomenal. I could not be more delighted with him. He is an iconic figure here, sometimes he polarises opinion, but not in our dressing room.”
Keane, who had to be dragged by O’Neill onto the pitch to join the celebrations, said himself in a reference to his infamous walkout before the 2002 World Cup finals: “We’ve been down this road before. We’ll be alright as long as we don’t go to Saipan.”
The Republic of Ireland join England Wales and Northern Ireland in France, the first time four British Isles teams have reached the finals of a major tournament. That, said O’Neill, is ‘special’.
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