AS AN Irishman in Wales, Mark O’Brien has had a huge smile on his face all this week.

The Newport County AFC defender, who hopes to be fit to face Forest Green Rovers tomorrow, endured plenty of stick from manager Michael Flynn and his Welsh teammates before Monday’s World Cup showdown in Cardiff.

But O’Brien and fellow Irishman Padraig Amond were the ones with the bragging rights after the game as the Republic of Ireland ended Wales’ hopes of going to Russia next summer.

The duo were at the match at the Cardiff City Stadium thanks to O’Brien’s friendship with several Irish internationals.

And the defender wore an Irish scarf on Tuesday night as he watched County’s Checkatrade Trophy defeat to Swansea City under-21s at Rodney Parade.

South Wales Argus:

“It was a great night,” said O’Brien of Monday's 1-0 win for the Irish. “I managed to get some tickets for me and Podge and it was a great night.

“Sometimes Ireland just seem to make a result out of nothing and the Irish fans enjoyed themselves.

“In the lead up to the game the manager and a few of the lads were trying to get into my head saying ‘Ireland were never going to make it, Wales will have too much in Cardiff’ but in the end the Irish always come out on top!

“When it comes down to the push and shove Ireland always seem to be able to pull out a result when they need it.

“I had to come in wearing the Ireland scarf after the game because of the stick I was getting,” he added.

“In our team it’s always good-hearted banter and everyone gets on and they took it as a joke.”

O’Brien is confident that Martin O’Neill’s side can navigate next month’s play-offs and make it to Russia.

“There are some tough teams in the play-offs but Ireland never back down to anyone and I’m sure whoever we end up getting we’ll make a game of it,” he said.

If Ireland do make it through O’Brien will be watching the World Cup from a pub in Dublin rather than travelling as a fan.

But he did reveal that Monday’s match has reignited his ambitions to represent his country again.

O’Brien won two under-19 caps while he was at Derby County but, having already recovered from heart surgery as a 16-year-old, a serious knee injury prevented him from playing at under-21 level.

“You watch games like that live and you see how the fans are and the atmosphere and it’s something you want to aspire to work towards,” said the 24-year-old.

“Because, at the end of it all, you want to try to play as high as you can.

“You want to play in the full stadiums and you want to be in that atmosphere.

“It’s a good experience to go and watch games like that because that’s a massive pressure – more than we could imagine.

“We have our own pressures in different ways but it’s something that hopefully at some point in my career, if things go really well for me, maybe I could play there at some time.

“Some of my mates play for the first team – guys that I came up through academies with in Ireland.

South Wales Argus:

“I know Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady, and Shane Duffy (above). I played alongside all of them growing up.

“I spoke to them after the game, thanked them for the tickets and congratulated them.

“And you do look at them and they’re doing really well in their career.

“I’m so happy for them but I do think to myself I was at the same level as them at one stage and if they can do so well hopefully at some stage in my career I can get back to that.

“Maybe not but it’s one of those things that I’ll always strive towards and I’ll hopefully get the best out of my career.

“I’m not thinking too far ahead of myself but at the same time I’m always wanting to work hard and get better and see where my career takes me.”