ROBBIE KEANE last night gave thanks to the luck of the Irish - after Republic fans woke up to a monster hangover.

Thousands partied long into the night as they toasted their country's qualification to the Euro 2016 Finals.

Jonathan Walter's two goals against Bosnia Herzegovina turned him into a national hero overnight.

And many thought the victory was karma for the night in 2009 when Thierry Henry's handball cost the Republic the chance to beat France to the World Cup Finals.

Skipper Keane was one of the players who suffered heartache as the Republic lost the vital play-off clash.

Six years on, thiought, 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 star 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.

"Your mind does go back to the game with France but you like to think these things even themselves out eventually.

"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."

Keane also paid tribute to the collective effort which carried the Republic of Ireland into the finals in France next summer.

Manager Martin O'Neill selected his 23 men for the play-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina from an initial list of 39, and some of those who did make the cut as a result of injury, suspension or selection decisions had previously played significant roles.

And so while it was Robbie Brady who claimed the headlines with his first-leg goal in Zenica on Friday and Walters who was the hero of Monday's victory in the return, Keane was quick to praise all those who had contributed to qualification.

The 35-year-old, who himself sat on the bench for the final two games of the campaign, said: "Full credit to the whole squad.

"I'm very, very proud to be Irish and of the players who are here and the players who are not here also, the players who have contributed as well, the Shays [Given], the Stephen Quinns, Paul McShanes, people like that who have been here from the start.

"It's a shame they are not here tonight to celebrate."

O'Neill was for once lost for words as he contemplated joining England, Northern Ireland and Wales at the Euro 2016 finals.

The 63-year-old manager said: "I'm sure there are better words than 'special' because I have used it a few times now, but it's very, very special. I'm sorry, I'm not William Wordsworth or William Shakespeare, so I can't find another word at the moment.

"It's pretty special and I'm delighted. Michael's performance with Northern Ireland does him great, great credit; Chris Coleman again for Wales, Roy Hodgson qualifying, and just to join them is great, it really is great, it's just nice, a nice moment."

Stoke striker Jonathan Walters was the hero on his return from suspension as he converted a controversial 24th-minute penalty and then volleyed home 20 minutes from time to wrap up a victory which means he and his team-mates will take part in a second successive European finals tournament.

For O'Neill, who is understood to have been offered a two-year extension to a contract which will now take in the finals, it proved an emotional night in Dublin.

However, he was once again at pains to insist that he was not the story after his players fought back from the point of elimination from the race for qualification from Group D back in June following a 1-1 home draw with Scotland.

He said: "I'm absolutely delighted, I'm thrilled, thrilled for myself naturally, rather selfishly if that's the case. But I'm thrilled for the players because they have put heart and soul into the games.

"Even after the Scotland game here - which if you analyse it, we probably should have won - that put us on the back foot with four games left. But it was still in our hands - I sat in this very room and said it was still in our hands.

"It probably meant that we'd have to go and win the two games in quick succession, Gibraltar and Georgia, and then probably have to win one of the last two games.

"It was a tall order, but it was never beyond them and of course, Shane Long's goal against Germany gave us the opportunity here to play against Bosnia. No, we never give up."