Rovers boss Tony Mowbray has praised the impact of the returning Darragh Lenihan after he earned his first call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad.

Mowbray’s side have won four of the six games in which Lenihan has featured in since his long-term lay-off, keeping three clean sheets in the process.

And that form has earned the 23-year-old, who missed the first six months of the season with a foot injury, a national team call-up ahead of the friendly with Turkey next week.

Rovers rejected bids from Sheffield United last summer for Lenihan and Mowbray is delighted with the defender’s form.

He said: “I’d like to keep Darragh Lenihan as a secret weapon and not eulogise too much about him.

“He is an amazingly, powerful, athletic and competitive footballer who plays in a position where those qualities are fantastic.

“He’s a young lad who wants to win every header, who wants to run people down the channels, wants to tackle and his passing has been excellent. I’m delighted he’s back and helping us win matches.”