Ireland must go for win, says O’Neill

His immediate concern was to damp down any over-enthusiasm generated by a good draw in Zenica.

“We have a number of people to choose from including Jon Walters and hopefully John O’Shea”, the former Northern Ireland midfielder added.

“Maybe being at home, Ireland will expect a little bit more and we’ll try to use that to our advantage”.

“I’m sure he’ll be excited for about the game, but I also think we’ll be ready for his qualities and try to limit him as much as possible”. Hungary became the 21st team to qualify last night, as they triumphed 2-1 over Norway at home to win their play-off tie 3-1.

Ireland will give Shane Long (knee) every chance to prove his fitness, with manager Martin O’Neill saying he may use Robbie Keane, 35, from the start if the Southampton striker does not make it.

“John has done a significant amount of work during the week which is fine, Shane perhaps less so”, said O’Neill yesterday. “We will see how they come out of the training”, he said.

Ireland too will have fresh faces available, and one of them, Jonathan Walters, will be familiar to Begovic following their time together at Stoke.

O’Neill last night gushed about the Potters ace and said: “Walters has been terrific in the campaign. I have to be mindful of the fact we are still a long way from qualifying”.

Bosnia dominated the opening half as winger Edin Visca and full back Mensur Mujdza found space to operate on the right flank against an Irish team missing several key players through injury and suspension.

The striker said: “You have just got to hit the target and hope for the best”.

Brady said: “The centre-half missed it and I thought I had a chance of getting on the end of it, so I caught up with it and came inside and then put it back across the near side of the goalie”.

O’Neill revealed his pride in making it this far with this group of players and dismissed any suggestion that motivation has ever been an issue for any of them as individuals or as a group.

“My pride in the side has been there from the start. I am still an optimist and I always am and I think we may, if we play better and have a better attitude, we can have a better game in the second leg”.

“For me to play for my country means the world to me”.

After two years in charge and building towards France, it’s all on the line for the ex-Celtic boss and his players tonight.

“I think if it had got any worse, it might have been in danger and it would have been hard to have to play the game again”. “If we get beaten, it won’t be through a lack of trying”.

“Bosnia are well capable of scoring and wiping out our away goal and suddenly they are on the front foot”. If we think that we can keep them out for 90 minutes and camp ourselves just outside our own penalty area, that would be a recipe for disaster.