Released Aston Villa defender Richard Dunne is delighted to be involved with the Republic of Ireland.

The defender was injured at Euro 2012 and missed the entire season for Aston Villa - and he says getting back to fitness was a terrible experience.

"I have never really missed out for long periods, and if someone had said at the start of the season I would be out for nine months then you can get your head around it but every two months to be let down it is hard and nobody could tell me, but now the biggest thing for me is to look forward," he said.