Wednesday 15 October 2014 22:13, UK
Last-gasp hero John O’Shea believes the Republic of Ireland faced Germany at just the right time after he snatched a 1-1 draw in their European Qualifier.
The Sunderland defender marked his 100th game for his country with a stoppage-time equaliser against the world champions, just three days after the Group D favourites suffered a shock 2-0 defeat in Poland.
We got something from it and hopefully Germany keep getting stronger now and beat the other teams.
Germany were without Sami Khedira, Mesut Ozil and Bastian Schweinsteiger through injury, while Andre Schurrle and Christoph Kramer were absent through illness, and O’Shea admits the Irish had to take full advantage in Gelsenkirchen.
"Because of the Poland win, we felt we really needed to get something with Germany missing the quality they were missing,” said the 33-year-old centre-back.
"They still had a lot of quality on the pitch - it shows the strength they have, obviously. They have just won the World Cup, so they have quality players.
"We got something from it and hopefully Germany keep getting stronger now and beat the other teams."
Describing his dramatic equaliser, he said: "For it to be on the night in question, the amount of caps I'd achieved and to do it in the last minute against Germany away from home was very, very special.
"The lads were obviously trying to jump all over me and I was trying to knock them off and enjoy the moment with the fans.
"But it's one of those things. My celebrations always need a bit of work - I don't score enough to improve them."
The Republic are joint top of the group with Poland, who drew 2-2 at home to Scotland, and O’Shea hopes his side can extend their three-match unbeaten run in Glasgow next month.
"It keeps the momentum going, that's the big thing. A late winner against Georgia from Aiden McGeady, and obviously all the teams who are going to qualify from the group are going to beat Gibraltar, so we had to get that done and dusted.
"Thankfully we did, no injuries picked up and we come away to Germany and pick up a point, so there's big momentum."
Thankfully we picked up a point - and no injuries - so there is big momentum.
The former Manchester United player revealed how manager Martin O’Neill and assistant Roy Keane had given the team some extra words of encouragement before they entered the pitch.
"In the warm-up, we didn't do our usual thing. Roy just said to us, 'Look, we have done our work, we have done our preparation, just get your heads focused'," said O'Shea.
"We normally do a little possession beforehand, but he just said, 'No, get your heads right, we have done our preparation, relax, enjoy it. You are going to get the chance to play, but also know it is going to be hard work', and I think you saw that with the performance everyone put in."
Watch the Republic of Ireland take on Scotland at Celtic Park live on Sky Sports 5 from 7.45pm on November 14
