KEVIN Long believes the hard work is starting to pay off after a dream end to the season with Burnley resulted in an international call-up.

The 26-year-old hadn’t started a league game for the Clarets since December 2013 but was elevated in to the side thanks to injuries to Michael Keane and Ben Mee.

As a result, Long started the final three Premier League games of the season and gave a reminder of his talents to club and country.

He did enough to catch the eye of Republic of Ireland management duo Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane and is part of the squad for next month’s friendlies with Mexico and Uruguay and a World Cup qualifier with Austria.

Now he’s got a foot in the door at club and international level, former Cork City man Long is determined to kick on.

“We all work hard in training, even when we’re not playing,” he said.

“Keano and Ben Mee have been brilliant so I’ve just had to keep working hard and waiting for these opportunities.

“They’ve come now, I’ve done well to get a call up too, so hopefully I can do more and push on again.

“Every footballer wants to play football so all I can do is keep training hard and hopefully I’ll keep getting more opportunities.

“It’s what I’ve been training for. I’ve been working hard for these opportunities and thankfully they’re starting to come along.”

Long, who has been at Burnley for seven years, may have to bide his time but he did eventually play a part in Burnley’s successful Premier League campaign.

He expects the challenge to get tougher next year collectively and individually, but is confident the Clarets can take another step forward this summer.

“It’ll be tougher but I think the club will want to kick on again,” he said.

“We’ve stayed in the Premier League, which was our aim, Next year we’re going to have to step up another level, training is going to get harder because the games are going to get tougher. We’re going to have to go again.”

Although Burnley’s 2016/17 season ended with just one point from their final three games, Long believes they can look back on the campaign with pride, having secured back-to-back years in the top flight for the first time since 1975.

Now his mind is switching to international duty and the chance to win a first cap for Ireland, beginning with the friendly against Mexico in the United States on Thursday.

He added: “It was a disappointing end to the season. The gaffer spoke to us afterwards, I don’t think we were quite at it for the last two games, but overall it’s been a good season.

“Our aim at the start was to stay in the Premier League and we’ve achieved that. Looking at things from the overall perspective, it’s been good. Everybody is happy with it.

“I’m happy to get some game time and obviously the call up to my country is massive for me.

“I’m delighted with that. It means everything. I think every young lad wants to play for his country.”