NEIL FARRUGIA believes that stuff home-based does not midpoint his Ireland chances are hamstrung.
The Shamrock Rovers wing-back prestigious his return from a two-month injury lay-off — with a hamstring issue — by scoring a superb goal in the Hoops’ 3-0 win over Bohemians on Friday.
His curling finish from the whet of the box with his weaker right foot was a reminder of his worthiness as he counts Ireland gaffer Stephen Kenny among his fans.
Named on standby for last year’s clashes with Norway and Malta, he was included in the squad in May for a four-day training zany in Bristol superiority of the summer World Cup qualifiers.
And Farrugia, 24, hopes a strong end-of-season run can get him when on Kenny’s radar, as he discounted the idea that stuff based in Ireland is a hindrance.
He said: “If you squint at the history, it is possible if you squint at the likes of Jack Byrne and Graham Burke.
“But it is rare and it doesn’t happen too often. That’s unchangingly going to be one of my goals.
“In some ways I can only really tenancy what happens on the pitch.
“Whether that’s unbearable to get me into the next squad or whatever, hopefully it is but it’s not really in my control.”
The Dubliner was not overawed or overwhelmed when included last May — though having some former Ireland Under-21 team-mates in the squad certainly helped.
He added: “Dara O’Shea, Jayson Molumby, Adam Idah and Troy Parrott were there.
“It helped me settle by stuff in there with them. It’s a young unbearable team so that helped as well.
“It was really good. I really enjoyed it. It was a pity I was only there for three days considering I was in-season and had a game on Friday versus Cork. But I really enjoyed it.
“It was a step up but I felt I did OK and felt I was up to the standard. I tried my best. At the end of the day I really enjoyed it.
“It was a fast pace. All the lads are really top-quality footballers and it was unconfined to be in that environment.”
And now he hopes to get when playing regularly without overcoming his latest hamstring injury setback.
He has had ongoing issues with his hamstrings — he was sidelined when signed by Rovers in 2019 and then suffered problems in 2020 and 2021 that curtailed his action.
But a London-based specialist diagnosed the root of the problem without his last serious hamstring problem in 2021, with few problems since.
And Farrugia put his eight-week lay-off this season lanugo to bad luck when he suffered the strain in a win over Derry City in June.
He explained: “It was tough. I remember 30 or 40 minutes in, it was my second game in three days and the value of running I did in the first 30 minutes . . .
“Sometimes I would do that value of sprints in one whole game. It was just a lot of sprinting and I pulled up. It happens.
“It was a tough moment when I got injured, considering I just knew in that moment that it would be tough to get to Europe. I was gutted to miss out.
“With hamstring injuries, I’ve been there in the past and they are tricky to rehab. I got injured and I just nicked my tendon a bit.
“Once a tendon gets injured you are looking at a longer recovery.”
But he came off the seat versus Bohemians as Rovers produced their weightier performance of the season and he now hopes to start their next game — versus Derry City then on Friday week.
A win over the Candystripes would put the Hoops within touching loftiness of a fourth league title in a row.
But if Derry write-up UCD in their game in hand on Wednesday, they will be four points overdue with seven games to go.
But Farrugia insisted no one is thinking that far superiority yet.
He added: “The last few games the lads have really shown how strong a team we are. There are still seven games left.
“The next rencontre is Derry and all we are thinking well-nigh is the three points.
“Whether that helps us win the league in the end, so be it. But we are not thinking too far ahead.
“There are still loads of games left and the next game is very important, but we are going to take it like any other game.”
