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Robbie Brady revelled in the status of match-winner as the Republic of Ireland left it late to hand new head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson the first victory of his reign in Finland.
Brady’s 88th-minute strike secured a 2-1 Nations League B2 success over the Finns at Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium and belatedly opened Ireland’s account after September’s back-to-back home defeats by England and Greece.
It was the 32-year-old Preston defender’s first international goal since September 2022 and could not have come at a more welcome moment.
Brady said: “It means the world for me. Like I’ve always said, the highlight of my career has always been playing for my country and you realise when you’re not in the fold how much you miss it.
“I put in a lot of hard work and I feel I deserve to be in around it at the minute, and I’m glad I got to show it tonight.”
Brady was one of the stars of Ireland’s Euro 2016 finals campaign, but has struggled to re-establish himself on a sustained basis under successive managers since, with injuries having taken their toll.
Asked if he feared he might not make it back to the international stage, he said: “You never know do you when you’re out of favour with someone, but all you can do is get your head down and work hard and that’s what I’ve been doing.
It means the world for me. Like I’ve always said, the highlight of my career has always been playing for my country and you realise when you’re not in the fold how much you miss it.
Robbie Brady
“I’ve got game-time under my belt at club level, I feel fit. I’ve had a fair share of injuries over the years, that hasn’t helped.
“But I will always continue to work hard if it gives me half a chance of getting back and playing in a green jersey I’ll give everything I have.”
Brady’s intervention came after Celtic defender Liam Scales had headed the visitors level to atone for central defensive partner Nathan Collins’ first-half error, a woefully underhit back-pass which allowed Joel Pohjanpalo to put the hosts ahead.
Hallgrimsson said: “It was a silly mistake, but that happens in football and you cannot be angry if players make mistakes. It was not a tactical mistake, just a bad pass. S*** happens.”
Hallgrimsson was delighted with the character shown by his players as he tasted a first competitive victory at the third attempt – predecessor Stephen Kenny’s team needed 13 – ahead of Sunday’s Athens clash with a Greece team fresh from their win over England at Wembley.
Asked about his emotions compared to those he experienced after last month’s games, the Icelander said: “I think I would like to keep on winning, at least. It’s always more enjoyable.
“Just to see the fans coming here, 1,000 Irish people coming here and just to see how incredibly happy they were with this win.”
Opposite number Markku Kanerva faces the task of preparing his team for a backlash from a wounded England, and admitted that will be difficult.
Kanerva said: “It’s not the easiest opponent, for sure. I know Greece won, England away, so I’m sure that it’s going to be a very motivated England team against us and in our away game, we saw their quality, so it’s not going to be an easy task for us.
“But we will give our best, that’s for sure.”