IN DECEMBER, Jimmy Dunne scored for QPR against Norwich City the day after his father Eamonn’s funeral.
He suggested that it might have been written in the stars for him to be one to slam the ball home in a goalmouth scramble.
And his dad’s passing, four years after he had been diagnosed with cancer, has given him pause for thought about how resilience might just be in the genes.
Dunne hopes to make his senior international debut against Bulgaria in either Plovdiv tomorrow or Dublin on Sunday, almost six-and-a-half years after he was first called into the squad.
His career has seen him play in the top five divisions in England and the Scottish top flight.
A senior international cap would be the latest chapter in a footballing journey which began when he was signed up to Manchester United’s Academy in Belfast at the age of 10.
Dunne said: “My career has been an emotional roller-coaster. I got released by Man United at 18 or 19 and 12 months later I was playing Conference Premier football so it was one extreme to the other.
“I felt I’d a lot of catching up to do but I feel like I am where I deserve and should be at this stage in my career.
“The older I get, I’ll continue to strive, and strive for the Premier League and, if it’s late, it’s late, but hopefully I will get there.”
He has played three games in England’s top tier before but his desire to add to that tally might explain why he is keeping his options open for the summer, when his QPR contract expires.
Dunne said: “There’s been loads of talks, always talks over and back.There’s only eight games left this season.
“In the position I am, I’m just going to see what the best opportunity is but at the minute I’m just going to focus on my games at QPR because we’re mid table, we’re trying to finish high.
“I’m trying to focus on doing the best as I can for the team.”
Dunne’s previous limited Premier League experience came with Burnley, whom he joined from United in 2016 but he had to wait until four years later before he made his Clarets debut.
In between, he had learned his trade at Barrow, Accrington Stanley, Hearts, Sunderland and Fleetwood Town.
He scored on his Premier League bow, against Leicester City, but moved to QPR at the end of this season where he has established himself as a fans’ favourite, first as a centre-half and, now, a right-back.
With a grin, he suggests he has even more tools in his armoury as he does his best to find an opening for himself.
He said: “I’m so versatile, unbelievably versatile. Attacking, defending, the lot. Number ten, left wing, whatever they need I’m in there.
“Obviously playing right back this season, it’s added a lot to my game thankfully.
“The challenges, physically, you go from doing 8 or 9k a game to 10/11k a game. I don’t think I’ve ever done 11k in a game but close enough!
“And the advantage is I can get into the opposition box so rather than have to wait for set-pieces I can get in at the back post and that’s obviously been a bit of a game-changer for me.”
He has five goals this campaign, one short of his combined tally for the three previous seasons.
It is a help in terms of getting noticed and, Heimir Hallgrímsson’s desire to find strong characters, and his concern about an apparent mental weakness in his squad, might explain why Dunne is happy for his character to come to the fore.
He said: “He’s been at some games, I think I did well in the games which obviously helps.
“He wants to get a good atmosphere and feeling into the camp and he’s mentioned my character to me a couple of times so he obviously values that as much as he does the football side of things
“He seems to value character. I’ve grown in experience over the last few years. QPR has given me that platform to get loads and loads of games.
“I’ve grown in experience and confidence. This group has chopped and changed a lot over the last couple of seasons but hopefully he values the character and experience as much as the football
“I know some of the guys, it’s not totally my first day of school. I’ve played with and against some of the guys.
“I’m very close to Robbie, Robbie Brady was the first one to text me when he saw I was in the squad, he was absolutely delighted for me, so I feel quite close to the group already.”
And, whether it is Mark McGuinness coming from nowhere to make his debut against England in Wembley, or other examples, Dunne is clinging to the belief that it is never too late to get a chance.
He said: “You’d like to think that as a defender you’ve got an extended couple of years on some of the guys, hopefully I’m one of those that can go until I’m 40.
“The first time I was in, it was under Martin O’Neill and I was 21 years old. That feels like a lifetime ago at this stage.
“When I came in when I was younger, it was all a learning curve but now I’m looking to show my value, to embrace it and appreciate it
“It would mean the world to play, because it’s felt like it’s a long time coming.
“Everybody in Dundalk has been sending me messages, it’s a very supportive parish that I am from so I am sure there’ll be a lot of people coming up the road to the Aviva to see if I get a chance
“Everything is just seeking the opportunity. The country hasn’t been blessed with all these wingers and strikers, but we’ve got big physical defenders everywhere so the competition is obviously there.
“I’ve seen loads of players get opportunities over the years but I haven’t been disheartened by that, I see it as people getting chances and if I stick with it then hopefully I’ll get my chance too.
“Now that I’m in I’m going to try to utilise my opportunity and bring as much value as I can to the group and show what I can do.”
FAMILY MATTERS
And he knows just what it would mean to his late father for his perseverance to be rewarded as the Kerry native had overcome adversity to play intercounty football for Louth, later managing the Wee County’s under-21 and minor teams.
Dunne said: “He got hit by a car as a kid and he had an unfortunate leg [that’s the quote, I know it sounds weird].
“And he actually wore shinpads playing for Co Louth, he was probably the only GAA player to ever wear shinpads. He had a story of resilience as well.
“I think that GAA culture is something that sticks to a lot of the soccer lads as well coming through.
“My old man was a school teacher/GAA coach. He was my manager really as much as a father.
“It was probably tough being away from my family from 15 years of age. That changes family situations and losing him midway through the season was complicated.
“But he’d be very, very proud to see that I’m back involved in this camp and I’m very lucky, I’ve got a really good family behind me, a really good parish behind me.”
