McClean delighted to prove the doubters wrong

James McClean says Ireland were unfairly written off ahead of Monday's World Cup Qualifier win over Wales in Cardiff.

The West Brom winger scored the only goal of the game at the Cardiff City Stadium as Ireland leap-frogged Wales to claim second spot in World Cup Qualifier Group D, and a place in next month's play-offs.

And McClean, 28, says the critics were wrong to prematurely write off Ireland's chances after Martin O'Neill's side claimed just one point from six in September by drawing in Georgia and losing at home to Serbia.

The Derryman, who scored Ireland's winning goal for the third time this campaign following his strikes in Moldova last October and in Austria in November, was delighted by the team's resilience in fighting back to beat Moldova 2-0 in Dublin on Friday, followed by the 1-0 victory over Chris Coleman's Wales on Monday.

"Unbelievable. There's no better feeling," he told Sky Sports.

"A lot of people wrote us off and didn't give us a chance tonight – even more so considering that we needed to win.

"But we showed our character and our quality. We dug deep and now we will enjoy this.

"I remember it just coming across, there was a great dummy by Harry [Arter], whether he knew or not I was behind him, only he knows, but as it was coming I was just concentrating on keeping it down.

"That feeling when it hit the back of the net…there's no better feeling on a football pitch."

Unseeded Ireland will face Italy, Croatia, Denmark, Switzerland or Portugal in the two-legged play-off for a place at Russia 2018.

The draw will take place on Tuesday, 17 October, with the first leg scheduled between 9-11 November, with the second leg between 12-14 November.

And McClean says Monday's win over Wales will count for nothing if Ireland fail to go on and qualify for a first World Cup since 2002 through the play-offs.

"We are not there yet. It was a big night tonight and we will enjoy it, but it means nothing if we don't go on and qualify," he continued.

"We will enjoy tonight and then look forward to whoever we get."

The Premier League football this weekend and you can see Watford take on Arsenal at Vicarage Road on the eir Sport pack, live on BT Sport 1 on Saturday, 14 October [kick-off 5.30pm].

Image: Getty Images/ Harry Trump

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