Town striker David McGoldrick says he only discovered on Saturday evening that the documentation relating to his qualification for the Republic of Ireland had finally been completed.

The 26-year-old received a call from Ireland boss Martin O’Neill to inform him he had been added to the squad for the Euro 2016 in Scotland on Friday and next Tuesday’s friendly against the USA in Dublin.

Nottingham-born McGoldrick, who qualifies for Ireland via both his biological and adoptive parents, trained with his new international team-mates, including fellow Blues striker Daryl Murphy, for the first time today.

Speaking in an interview with FAI TV he said he's glad the paperwork has finally been sorted: “I’m delighted that it’s gone through now and I’m really, really excited to be putting on the jersey if I can.

“It’s been a long wait, it’s been going on for quite a long time. I’ve been in contact with [the FAI] trying to get it over the line and there have been a few complications, but they’ve worked hard and they’ve got it done and it’s happened quite quickly over the past week, so I’m really thankful for that.”

He says confirmation finally came after the weekend victory over Watford: “It felt great, I got the call from Martin O’Neill on Saturday night.

“When I saw his name come up on my phone I thought straight away that it might be done and it was a great feeling to know I was coming away.”

Manager O’Neill, who was at Portman Road to watch Town's Irish players in action against Wolves last Tuesday, has hinted that McGoldrick and another new call-up, Derby’s Cyrus Christie, won’t be involved in the game against Scotland at Celtic Park on Friday.

“They’ve just come into the fold, they’re getting to know each other and the rest of the squad and this is the first day they have trained,” he said.

“It might be asking a lot to involve them, but the two lads have got talent and that’s the main thing.”

It seems more likely that McGoldrick could win his first Irish cap when the USA visit the Aviva Stadium in Dublin for a friendly on Tuesday.

Also amongst those in international action this week is Tommy Smith, who is with the New Zealand squad for friendlies against China in Nanchang on Friday and Thailand in Bangkok on Wednesday 19th November.

Christophe Berra is in the Scotland squad for the qualifier with Ireland and a friendly against England on Tuesday.

Young midfielder Adam McDonnell, 17, has been named in the Republic of Ireland U19s for this week’s European Championships qualifying tournament in Waterford and Wexford.

Photo: Action Images

SamWhiteUK added 19:19 - Nov 11 Kevin Doyle is now out, so McGoldrick is one up the pecking order by default.
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irishtim added 19:33 - Nov 11 Being Irish totally delighted to have Didsy in the squad.
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RonFearonsHair added 19:35 - Nov 11 Had no idea Scotland were playing England next week!
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bohslegend added 20:01 - Nov 11 Interested to hear what everyone thinks about Gordon McQueens comments about James McCarthy and Aiden McGeady??
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Superblue95 added 20:03 - Nov 11 I'm gonna be at the Aviva stadium for the Ireland vs USA match...can't wait to hopefully see Murphy and Mcgoldrick tear apart the yanks
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commuterblue added 20:04 - Nov 11 You kept that quiet Tim!
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neillrumsey added 20:04 - Nov 11 Richly deserved for our star man. He has real quality and rarely wastes a pass. Good luck hope you get a cap
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NoCanariesAllowed added 20:38 - Nov 11 Seems we're getting quite the group of internationals at Town again. Hopefully a good sign!
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bohslegend added 21:25 - Nov 11 I'm there too Superblue92. Hoping the M&M partnership is as sweet for Ireland as it is for Ipswich ;-)
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irishtim added 21:45 - Nov 11 Lol Commuterblue.
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tractorboybig added 07:28 - Nov 12 Both will play. Get injuried. We take a dive down the table. Murphy's law.
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carsey added 08:54 - Nov 12 I don't like internationals particularly meaningless friendlies. Potentially we have 4 of our most important players playing over the next week and if even one of them picks up a knock it could screw up what town have achieved. I know it's selfish but we have languished in the 2nd division for too long now and we suddenly can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I shall be well pi$$ed off if Ireland vs USA or England vs Scotland results in any of our players not coming home fit.

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bohslegend added 11:20 - Nov 12 Hope we never get to the status of Chelsea, Man U, City or Arsenal so. Every international break there would be a clear out! We'd have too many international star players - that can't possibly be a good thing. They may get injured! And okay, maybe we would have a bigger squad, but we would also have European football to consider God forbid. No, I'd prefer we stayed down the ranks where none of our players are good enough for international football, and therefore there's no risk of getting injured during international weekends.

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Eireannach_gorm added 12:06 - Nov 12 Gordon is not that clever , is he? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/scotland/11219624/Gordon-McQueen “I played alongside the likes of Bob Wilson and Bruce Rioch, who were born in England but they always considered themselves Scottish. “That's all I want. If you feel Scottish then you're Scottish but I hate these guys who think: I can't get a game for England so I'll play for Scotland'.”

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brittaniaman added 09:17 - Nov 13 I hear our EX DARK LORD has been involved in some incident at the hotel where they are staying,, Police were called apparently ???? Some fan asked him to sign his book. Well to ask him for an autograph is like showing a red rag to a Bull !!! or should I say Bully !!!!. I mentioned this because our Murphy and McGoldrick are there !!!!!!!!!
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