Darren Randolph is ready to make himself a hero again and help Republic of Ireland reach the 2016 UEFA European Championship finals.
The West Ham United goalkeeper has earned hero status in his homeland after the Boys in Green shocked Germany last month on their way to reaching the Play-Offs.
There, Randolph was in fine form again as Ireland drew 1-1 in foggy Zenica on Friday to set up a potentially fantastic Monday evening at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
“I see it as an opportunity to qualify and get everybody to another major championships,” said the Hammers stopper, who was drafted into the starting XI by Martin O’Neill after Shay Given was injured early in the unforgettable 1-0 victory over the world champions in October.
“If we do that then I’ll have a few months to think about that afterwards, but I just want to qualify. That would be a dream come true.”
For Randolph, who also took his chance when he replaced the suspended Adrian and produced three outstanding Barclays Premier League displays for the Hammers earlier this season, qualification would be a boyhood dream come true.
Growing up in the town of Bray near Ireland’s capital, the son of a basketball professional was a sports-man child, working his way up from local club Ardmore Rovers to make his senior international debut in September 2012.
Now, at the age of 28, Randolph is desperate to help his country to reach the European Championship finals for just the third time in their history.
“It’s something I thought about when I was a kid running around in the street playing football,” revealed the stopper, who is expected to earn his sixth cap on Monday evening. “To be so close is kind of unreal.”
Ireland’s Play-Off second leg kicks-off at 7.45pm and will be screened live by Sky Sports 1 HD.
The West Ham United goalkeeper has earned hero status in his homeland after the Boys in Green shocked Germany last month on their way to reaching the Play-Offs.
There, Randolph was in fine form again as Ireland drew 1-1 in foggy Zenica on Friday to set up a potentially fantastic Monday evening at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
“I see it as an opportunity to qualify and get everybody to another major championships,” said the Hammers stopper, who was drafted into the starting XI by Martin O’Neill after Shay Given was injured early in the unforgettable 1-0 victory over the world champions in October.
“If we do that then I’ll have a few months to think about that afterwards, but I just want to qualify. That would be a dream come true.”
For Randolph, who also took his chance when he replaced the suspended Adrian and produced three outstanding Barclays Premier League displays for the Hammers earlier this season, qualification would be a boyhood dream come true.
Growing up in the town of Bray near Ireland’s capital, the son of a basketball professional was a sports-man child, working his way up from local club Ardmore Rovers to make his senior international debut in September 2012.
Now, at the age of 28, Randolph is desperate to help his country to reach the European Championship finals for just the third time in their history.
“It’s something I thought about when I was a kid running around in the street playing football,” revealed the stopper, who is expected to earn his sixth cap on Monday evening. “To be so close is kind of unreal.”
Ireland’s Play-Off second leg kicks-off at 7.45pm and will be screened live by Sky Sports 1 HD.