Graham Burke says he understands why Rovers defender Darragh Lenihan may be a little unhappy with him after denying him a debut goal.
But the Shamrock Rovers striker says he simply couldn’t turn down the chance to score his first international goal in the win over USA in Dublin on Saturday.
Burke got off the mark for Ireland, equalising in the second half when he turned in a shot from Lenihan millimetres from the goal-line.
Lenihan, who had replaced John O’Shea in the first half to win his first cap, looked set to be the man to grab the goal as he fired in a shot towards the bottom corner.
However, Burke stuck out a foot to claim the final touch to level things up at 1-1.
WATCH:@ShamrockRovers man Graham Burke bags his first International goal to make it 1-1 at the Aviva!
— eir Sport (@eirSport) June 2, 2018
It's probably the easiest goal he's scored this season, but what a moment for the 24 year old!#IRLUSA #COYBIG #LOI pic.twitter.com/zi2sYRFjOd
Lenihan would later have a goal chalked off for offside before Alan Judge claimed the winner in the dying seconds.
On his goal, Burke said: "I try to be a goalscorer and my instincts are to get in there and just put it in the back of the net.
Darragh's probably not happy - and he has a right to be - but as a striker, I'm never going to give up that opportunity to put the ball in the back of the net.
“That's my job, to create things and score. I'll never feel guilty for that. Darragh will probably have the hump with me, but as a goalscorer, I had to put it in.”
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