Wolves winger Stephen Ward is relishing his new role in the Republic of Ireland national team.
The 25-year old had a superb finish to the Premier League season and that form has paid off with his first three caps for Giovanni Trapattoni's side in recent weeks.
Ward, who can play anywhere on the left as well as up front, admits he is loving his time with the national team which produced an historic 2-0 win over Italy on Tuesday night.
"It was great just to get into the squad and then make my full international debut," he told the club's official website.
"But to play in three of the last four games, to score on my debut in front of my family and friends, then to be on the winning side and not concede a goal in each of them, was just the icing on the cake.
"[It] topped things off," he said of the victory over Italy.
"There is quite a big Italian contingent in Liege where the game was played and so there was a good atmosphere with over 20,000 in the ground."
