Paul Corcoran reports from the Aviva Stadium

The Republic of Ireland put in a solid performance on Friday night when they drew 1-1 with Senegal. That means the Boys in Green have started 2025 unbeaten in all three of their games with the chance of going four games unbeaten heading into the World Cup qualifiers in September if they can get a result against Luxembourg on Tuesday.

Dara O’Shea noted the importance of consistency and securing results when he spoke to the media after Friday’s game.

“I think there’s obviously a mentality aspect of the football game and by winning games and keeping that momentum going is massive and it’s something we haven’t really had as a nation for a while now,” he said.

“It’s something this group hasn’t had at all really. So it’s important that we keep building on this and don’t take the games for granted because before we know it we’ll be in the World Cup campaign and we’ll be right in the thick of it.

“Like we know, you only get one chance there to qualify. So it’s important that we make every moment we can.”

With this series of two friendly games, it has been clear that one eye is being kept on the World Cup qualification campaign which begins in September with games against Armenia and Hungary.

O’Shea spoke a lot about mentality and the need to back themselves in the upcoming campaign.

“We played Portugal before we played Hungary before and Armenia so we know what these countries are like, I think we’ve got to back ourselves and obviously that’s a lot of what we’re doing now and the momentum we’re trying to push and keep going. we’ve got to look at it and think we want to qualify.

“I think the gaffer’s been very positive about it in the press and you know shown that we are going to be there and saying all the right things and we’ve got to back that up too you know it’s that mentality that’s instilled in the group now so we’ve got to go with it.”

With his club, O’Shea suffered relegation this season with Ipswich finishing second from bottom in the Premier League.

The defender joined Ipswich last summer on a long term deal but with the summer transfer window there’s a possibility that he could be on the move – although the 26 year old expressed his commitment to the Tractor Boys.

“No, look, for me right now I’m still in season you know and I’m not going to think about it until the season ends and I’ve got one more game to focus on and then I can sit down and relax and you know but I’m fully committed to Ipswich at the moment.

“I’ve got another four years there anyway so you know that’s what it is, and I want to get the club back into the Premier League and I’m ambitious as a player, obviously I want to be playing in the Premier League but I know it’s not as easy as that you know whatever happens in football it happens for a reason. You have a journey and you’ve got to stick to that sometimes.”

Wood and O’Shea’s special bond

Mum’s the word when Chris Wood faces Dara O’Shea at the City Ground on Saturday.

The Ipswich defender and Nottingham Forest striker Wood never played with each other but share a special bond.

They were at West Brom and Burnley at different times but Republic of Ireland international O’Shea lived with Wood’s parents, Julie and Grant, when he was a young player at the Baggies.

The couple offered Baggies players digs while they were living away from their own homes.

It meant Wood would return home and, on occasion, find O’Shea – who joined Ipswich from Burnley in the summer – relaxing in the living room.

He said: “A couple of times! Unfortunately, I was never too close to Birmingham the times he was there. I was at other clubs across the country. It worked well for Dara and my parents and they have stayed in contact, at least at parent level with his mum and dad.

“It was a nice way to give back and feel part of the club. They’ve had a number of boys and one of those was Dara, who’s done extremely well over the years. He did well at West Brom, when he went to Burnley and now at Ipswich.

“Mum and dad are extremely nice to take in players as digs parents. It’s a great way to give back to a club which gave me a huge stepping stone in my career. They took a big chance on a Kiwi boy from New Zealand.”