David Harrington on Irish call-up: Part of me though it was a joke because I hadn't played a lot this season
Goalkeeper David Harrington during a Republic of Ireland training session. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
FORMER Cork City keeper David Harrington couldn’t believe it when he received his call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad for their recent friendlies against Hungry and Portugal.
Since making the switch from Leeside to League One Fleetwood Town, Harrington’s time in England has been plagued with injuries.
However, the goalkeeper made his long-awaited debut in Fleetwood’s final game of the season and believes that his call-up was a reward for his hard work.
“I got a call from the goalkeeper coach Rene Gilmartin. The first thing he said was congratulations you’re an Irish senior international," Harrington said.
"He kind of explained the situation to me then that himself and John O’Shea know how good I am and a good person to have around the place. He told me they wanted four keepers. He knew I’d train well.
"He knew how hard I worked to get back from injuries as well and said it would be good for me going back into preseason in a few weeks.
"It was an unbelievably proud feeling getting that call. It is one of the biggest honours you can get, getting called into a senior squad for Ireland.
"He told me John would give me a call in a few minutes, which he did and he said to just come in, work hard, be myself and show people what I can do.
"I think that’s what I did. I thought I was good around the place but I was also serious and worked hard in training.
"I think I did well and I was just over the moon with the call-up to be fair. In the first game against Hungry and you're on the bus on the way to the Aviva, you do start to think to yourself, ‘this is the real deal’.
"Even though it was an international friendly, you are still coming up against Hungry who are in the Euros and have big players like Dominik Szoboszlai.
"You’re watching videos of them mid-week and seeing the quality they have even at set-pieces.
"They were unbeaten in 14 games before that match. I was sitting there in the Aviva with my name on the jersey hanging up and I’m thinking, when I was young watching Ireland not in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be in that position.
“I was just on the bench but even to be involved was amazing.
"I mean you're looking around the changing room and there’s Seamus Coleman who has played in the Premier League for years. Having players with unbelievable careers around you and it’s hard to believe that I was part of that.
"I’d never experienced anything like it. Even in the warm-up, the goalies are out first so then when Ronaldo came out the screams were deafening.
"The noise was something else, easily the loudest matchday I’ve ever experienced. Looking at Portugal’s team during the national anthems, you are thinking that these are all world-class players.
"I mean Ronaldo is one of the best players ever to play the game and to be involved in a game with him was unbelievable.
"Part of me was thinking, how am I even here? It was one of those moments where I was thinking I was so happy to be there and so happy with myself to see all the hard work I put in pay off.
"It was definitely a pinch-me moment. I was so grateful to be there in the first place, to have received the call-up and be given the opportunity to be on the same pitch with so many big names."
During his time away with the national side, Harrington got to work very closely with a fellow Corkman Caoimhin Kelleher.
“You could just tell he was a top-class keeper even before we did a training session by the way he carries himself.
"He was full of advice as were all the keepers on the trip and it was a great learning experience getting to work with such a calibre of keepers."
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