Darragh Lenihan: 'It's exciting when the manager comes out and says that he's looking at the younger players'

Having endured a frustrating start to the season with injury, things are starting to hot up nicely for Blackburn Rovers defender Darragh Lenihan as he meets up with the senior international squad for the first time.

The 24-year-old Dunboyne native is flying fit again and has worked hard to get himself back into the Blackburn Rovers team who are just nine games away from being crowned League One Champions.

Last week he received his first senior Ireland call up by Martin O’Neill and is currently in Turkey with his new teammates as he prepares for Friday evening's international friendly and his first taste of senior international football.

Following the good news the former Belvedere schoolboy spoke to extratime.ie this week and as expected is absolutely delighted to be on the plane to Turkey.

“It's a dream come through to be selected for Ireland,” he said.

“I have always had aspirations towards playing with Ireland and the hard work I've put in over the past few years has been rewarded.”

The former Belvedere schoolboy has more than 80 appearances now for Blackburn Rovers since earning his big move at the age of 16.

He hopes that continued commanding performances at the heart of defence in Ewood Park will result in an increasing number of international call ups now that he has received the first phone call from Mr O’Neill.

“It's exciting when the manager comes out and says that he's looking at the younger players.

“I need to do the best I possibly can for Blackburn and hopefully the performances there can help get me into the Ireland team.

“There's plenty of competition for places with a number of players in my position playing in the Premier League and also in the Championship.”

Although now a first team regular for Tony Mowbray at Blackburn and beginning to get international recognition, Lenihan has had to work hard to get there and, interestingly, spoke very fondly about his loan spell at Burton Albion with some good advice for youngsters with an ambition similar to his own.

“Going to Burton was probably the best decision I have made in my career to get to where I am today. It gave me a platform to build on between reserve games to playing competitive league games.

“I believe that if I didn't go to Burton and stayed at Blackburn I probably wouldn't have made it into the team.

“For any young player I highly recommend going out on loan to a lower league team and experience what it's like to be in that atmosphere.”

Lenihan is one of eight uncapped players in O’Neills final 25-man squad, which also includes former Shamrock Rovers man Enda Stevens, former Bohs man Matt Doherty, Declan Rice and current Blackburn Rovers team mate Derrick Williams.