Dunne’s focus firmly on honour not finances

Giovanni Trapattoni’s players will reportedly share a bonus of around £3.4m if, as expected, they complete a play-off victory over Estonia at the Aviva Stadium tonight.

However, when the final whistle sounds, Dunne insists his bank balance will be the furthest thing from his mind.

The 32-year-old Aston Villa defender said: “We all make enough money at our clubs and playing for Ireland is an honour, it’s not about money.

“The whole country will benefit from it and the main thing is having the pride. Going out and playing in the finals is all that matters to the players.

“Footballers want to play in tournaments and this is a really big tournament. To go and represent Ireland in it is going to be something that money can’t buy.”

Dunne is one of the few members of the current squad to have been to a major tournament, although he did not play at the 2002 World Cup finals, the last for which they qualified.

He said: “Apart from the World Cup, the European Championships is as high as you can play in, so to have the opportunity to play against the top sides in a competition, it would be a very proud moment for us all.

“It’s pleasurable for all of us. We all have to savour the moment because the likes of myself and Shay [Given] and Damien [Duff] and Robbie [Keane] know it doesn’t come around very often and it may not happen again for a few of the lads.”

Should Ireland complete the job tonight, they would reach their first European Championship finals since 1988.

Dunne was a schoolboy during that tournament, but remembers only too well the excitement it created.

Robbie Keane has turned down a request to return to club Los Angeles Galaxy to help the Republic of Ireland tonight.

Galaxy will face Houston Dynamo in the MLS Cup Final on Sunday and had asked if Keane could be released after Ireland’s 4-0 play-off first leg victory in Estonia on Friday night.

However, the 31-year-old politely declined, in order to lead the Republic into tonight’s second leg in Dublin in anticipation of a glorious celebration.

John O’Shea will replace injured Stephen Kelly at right-back, Stephen Hunt will take over from Aiden McGeady on the left side of midfield and Kevin Doyle will return from suspension to partner Keane in attack in place of Jon Walters.

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