BURNLEY full-back Stephen Ward is confident of building on his successful season at Turf Moor by helping the Republic of Ireland make an impact at Euro 2016.

The 30-year-old was an ever-present in the second half of the Clarets’ campaign, which saw Sean Dyche’s men lift the Championship trophy and earn themselves a place in the mega-bucks Premier League next season.

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But before Ward lines up against the superstars of Manchester United, Chelsea and the rest, he wants to make his mark in France as part of Martin O’Neiil’s Ireland squad that get their campaign underway against Sweden at the Stade de France this afternoon.

And he is confident that their preparations will send them into battle in exactly the right frame of mind to exorcise the ghosts of Poland.

Four years ago, Ward and his team-mates travelled to eastern Europe with high hopes of making an impression, only to fall at the first hurdle having failed to collect a single point from group clashes with Croatia and eventual finalists Spain and Italy.

It proved a gruelling build-up to the campaign for the players as then manager Giovanni Trapattoni had them in camp for a week in Dublin, another in the Tuscan spa town of Montecatini and then two days in Budapest for a friendly against Hungary before they even arrived at their Polish base, and there was a measure of stir-craziness before a ball was kicked.

But this time around, O’Neill opted for a build-up on home turf with a week at the Football Association of Ireland’s National Training Centre in Abbotstown, a second at the Fota Island resort in Cork and a weekend off before re-assembling in Dublin ahead of Wednesday’s departure to France.

Ward said: “I think we are in a good place. It was a big thing staying in Cork - it kept us in Ireland around the fans, around the buzz of the country and it was a good first two weeks.

“Then coming over here now, it’s great to finally be here. It’s been a good camp so far and we are all looking forward to Monday.

“We had a good week in Dublin, a good week in Cork, where the weather was really nice - but it’s great to finally be in France.

“The buzz around the squad and around the area is outstanding and everyone is looking forward to getting going.”

Today’s game could go a long way towards determining their Group E fate, with seemingly tougher fixtures against Belgium and Italy to follow.

Winger Robbie Brady has been used at left-back in recent times.

But if Jonathan Walters, who is working his way back from a calf problem and who often operates as a wide midfielder for Ireland, were to miss out, he could be pushed forward, potentially opening the door for the Burnley man.

Ward said: “It’s a squad of 23 and the manager had some very difficult decisions to whittle it down just to 23 because a lot of people have played a big part in qualification.

“Obviously everyone wants that shirt, but whatever team the manager picks, as a squad we want to come and make an impression in the tournament.”