AFTER ENDURING A nightmare year dogged by injuries, the relief was evident on Richard Dunne’s face at the final whistle tonight.
The 33-year-old defender came on a second half substitute in the 4-o win over Georgia at Lansdowne Road in what has his first appearance for club or country since Ireland’s final Euro 2012 match against Italy over a year ago.
Since then, a series of hip and groin injuries have plagues the Dubliner – prompting Aston Villa to allow him to leave at the end of the season.
Without a club and looking to regain full fitness, Giovanni Trapattoni called the veteran up to the squad this week. Dunne received a huge cheer from the crowd when he came out of warm-up on the sideline and got a great reception upon his introduction.
Speaking after the game, Dunne was clearly over the moon to be back in action.
“It’s just nice to get back involved,” he said. “Having the week’s training and then to finish off with a game is really good.
Ideally, you try and play a game behind closed doors but as games go I don’t think it could have been more perfect. It was ideal as I got what I wanted out of it. Just the confidence that I know I can compete.
“The week’s training has been as hard as the game was today so it was important for myself to clear my mind of what has gone on in the last year and I feel now that I can progress and play again for a couple of years.”
Trapattoni has hinted that Dunne could be in contention for Friday’s World Cup qualifier with the Faroe Islands – although it might still be a little soon to start him in a competitive game.
“That would be brilliant. I might be stiff in the morning but it’s nice that he has involved me at all and I’m delighted.”
