Darragh Lenihan says strong club form with Rovers will see his international aspirations take care of themselves.

Lenihan earned his first senior cap for his country last month in a friendly win over the USA before signing an extended deal at Rovers on his return to pre-season.

A return to Championship football will aid the 24-year-old’s cause for more involvement for the Republic of Ireland, but it’s Rovers who are the powerful defender’s main focus.

Lenihan penned a new long-term deal with Rovers earlier this month and featured in the 2-0 friendly win at Hibs despite being granted extra time off by boss Tony Mowbray following his Ireland exertions.

“It is your Blackburn form that gets you into the squad,” said Lenihan who made just 14 appearances last season because of a long-term ankle injury.

“I will just have to perform week in week out for Blackburn and wait and see whether I get called up or not.

 “A debut was a big deal.

“I think for the lads who have played 70 or 80 caps maybe it is a bit different but for me, making my debut for my country was one of the proudest moments of my life and I just hope I can keep doing well for Blackburn and keep getting into those squads.

“The whole family were there. It was good for them to see and it was just a proud moment and is something that I will always cherish.

“I am the first player from County Mead to play (for Ireland). It was a strange one, there are not many counties in the country that don’t have any internationals. That is another thing to look back on when I am a lot older.”

Lenihan was an unused substitute for the friendly defeat to Turkey in March but was called up again ahead of the double-header with France and USA in the closed season.

So too was Rovers team-mate Derrick Williams who is set to join Lenihan in signing a fresh deal to stay at Ewood Park.

Lenihan admits that made it easier for him, with 25-year-old having impressed in the friendly defeat to France on his debut before sitting out the USA win.

He added: “It helped massively, even just settling in because you have someone there.

“He did brilliantly when he played against France.

“We are in the same boat, in terms of just keep doing well for Blackburn and then I am sure the Irish team will take care of itself.

“Getting promoted for both of us was the main aim and the cherry on the top was getting called up for the Irish team and making our debuts.

“It was brilliant, we are very proud and the families are very proud of us and hopefully there are many more games to come.”

Rovers are keen to extend the contracts of a number of their senior names following promotion back to the Championship.

Williams is close to adding his name to the list which Lenihan currently tops, with League One player of the year Bradley Dack also set to follow suit.

Lenihan is 12 games short of a century for Rovers since his debut in April 2015.

And reflecting on a year to remember, he said: “It’s been a very good summer, very hectic with everything with everything going on but I couldn’t have imagined a better summer with how everything panned out.

“Starting off with getting promoted was just fantastic.”