Blues striker Daryl Murphy says he’s grateful to Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill for including him in his European Championships squad, having brought him back into international football after he went nearly six years without winning a cap.
O’Neill, whose assistant is former Town boss Roy Keane, recalled Murphy in February 2014 and the Waterford-born frontman has been involved with Ireland on a regular basis ever since. The 33-year-old has now won 21 full caps, but still without scoring his first international goal.
Ireland will travel to their training base in Versailles next Wednesday before they face Sweden in their opening group game on Monday 13th June, then Belgium on Saturday 18th June and Italy on Wednesday 22nd June.
"It will be unbelievable to be involved in the tournament, especially when only a few years ago I was not even considered for the squad,” Murphy told the club site.
"I’m grateful to the manager and staff for giving me a chance and I am proof that if you are playing well enough, whatever your age, your opportunity will come.
"I had been out for so long so to be given a chance in the squad and then to play in the games against Germany [in the qualifying group] and Bosnia [in the play-offs] was a massive boost for me. That wait has been made worthwhile.
"We are in a tough group but that is what the tournament is all about, playing against the best teams and players. You don’t get the opportunity to play in a tournament like the Euros very often, especially at my age.”
Blues striker David McGoldrick, 28, was left out of the final Ireland 23, which means Murphy will be the only current Town player at the tournament, however a number of ex-Blues will also be in France, including ex-skipper Jon Walters who is also in the Irish squad.
Centre-half Gareth McAuley, now with West Brom, has been named in the Northern Ireland squad and striker Tamas Priskin, currently with Slovakian side Slovan Bratislava, is in Hungary's 23.
Defender Freddie Veseli, these days playing his club football for Lugano in Switzerland, the country of his birth, is in the Albanian travelling party. The 23-year-old qualifies for Albania via his parents.
Three-times Blues loanee Jonny Williams, still with Crystal Palace, is in the Wales squad.