Sammie Szmodics: 'The best way to shut people up is to show what you can do'

The Blackburn Rovers forward was delighted to at last make his debut on Saturday evening. 

Sammie Szmodics of Republic of Ireland shoots under pressure from Timothy Castagne of Belgium. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Sammie Szmodics has shared his sense of relief at having finally made his debut for the Republic of Ireland, and how his bow will finally ‘shut people up’ who doubted his commitment to the cause.

The Blackburn Rovers player got his hands on an Irish passport back at the start of the decade but had to wait much longer for his first taste of international football before John O’Shea handed him 70 minutes against Belgium on Saturday.