Former Tottenham and Liverpool star claims Ireland were lucky in Euro 2016 qualification

Keane scored five goals during the qualifying campaign

ROBBIE KEANE admits the Republic of Ireland "got lucky" with their penalty which helped secure qualification to Euro 2016.

 

Keane was one of the men who suffered the heartache of World Cup play-off defeat in France in 2009 when Thierry Henry's handball cost the Republic dear.

Six years on, it was they who got the benefit of a questionable decision when Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers harshly ruled that Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Ervin Zukanovic had handled Daryl Murphy's cross and in Keane's absence, Walters duly obliged from the spot to send the Republic on their way.

The LA Galaxy striker said: "Listen, we got lucky, certainly, with the penalty. In the first half, we didn't create too many chances, but we kept going. But what we did at times, we did very, very well.

"The lads up front - I thought Jonny Walters was great again, he got two goals he certainly deserved. He's been fantastic in this whole campaign."

 

Ireland have previously been undone by a handball incident: in World Cup 2014 qualifying