Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Stephen Ward returns to the scene of an earlier heartbreak, writes MARY HANNIGAN

IT’S OVER seven years since Stephen Ward travelled to Estonia with Bohemians where they drew 0-0 with Levadia Tallinn in a Uefa Cup qualifying game. Their good work was undone though at Dalymount Park, Bohemians losing 3-1 and going out of the competition.

Ward can still remember the disappointment, the feeling of a missed opportunity against a team managed by Tarmo Ruutli, the same man who has led Estonia to the Euro 2012 play-offs.

History, he trusts, won’t repeat, but as his own manager and team-mates have been insisting all week, there’ll be no underestimating their opponents.

“And with the manager we have that would never happen. I mean, they’re in the play-offs for a reason, they’ve come through a tough group and to finish ahead of Serbia is no mean feat. Whoever we got it was going to be tough, we just have to make sure that we prepare right and we feel that if we’re at the top of our game then we can be a match for anyone.”

His memories from those 2004 games? “I just remember them being physically strong, they were a good team, although we thought we should have beaten them, we were all very disappointed to lose that tie. They were like any European side, they were technically good, but the one thing that stood out for me was how strong they were physically. I’m sure their national team will be the same.” Ward’s career has progressed steadily in those seven years, the 26-year-old from Portmarnock now established in Wolves’ first team. He joined the club in 2007 as a forward, but having had a spell in midfield is now Mick McCarthy’s regular left-back.

Shifting the seemingly immovable Kevin Kilbane from that position in the national side has been a tough task for anyone with designs on the left-back slot, the veteran playing in the first six games of the group stage. But having got his chance in May’s Nations Cup in Dublin, scoring on his debut against Northern Ireland, Ward made his competitive debut in the home qualifying game against Slovakia in September when Kilbane was injured.

In his seven senior appearances to date Ireland have not conceded a goal, Ward missing last month’s 2-1 win over Armenia through suspension. Stephen Kelly replaced him in that game, but Ward hopes to have done enough to convince Giovanni Trapattoni that he should regain his place.

“Things have probably moved along for me at this level a lot faster than I would have expected them to,” he said. “It’s been great for me and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. To play in these two play-off games now would really top it all off.

“I feel I’m improving all the time. I’ve enjoyed the start to the season that I’ve had, it’s probably been my best form since I moved to left back.

“Being part of the international set up, getting as many games as I have, has definitely helped me to come on as a player.” His goal last Sunday against Wigan helped Wolves to their first league win in nine games, a result that eased – temporarily at least – the pressure on his manager. “There was a massive sense of relief, it had been a long time coming,” said Ward, who got a warm send-off from McCarthy when he left for Dublin. “He wished us the best of luck. I don’t think he has too many fond memories of the play-offs himself, other than that Iran game, but he just said to do what we’ve done in all the other games, he said some nice things really.”

Two years ago Ward watched the second leg of Ireland’s World Cup play-off against France in his old apartment in Birmingham. “Just by myself. I didn’t really want to watch it with anyone, to be honest, so my missus went out. I probably kicked every ball along with the lads, I was gutted for them. The neighbours probably heard the crying,” he laughed.

“But we know this week how important it is to just keep calm heads. We’ve come in like we do for any other game, tried to keep the same routine. It’s a massive week for us and we have as good a chance as we’ve ever had to qualify for a big tournament. We have to focus on that and put everything else to the backs of our minds.

“I’ve talked to a lot of the lads about Paris and about the feeling they had after the game. We’re all really determined this time to make sure the emotions are on the other end of the scale, that we’re not on the end of another heartbreaking play-off.”

“I feel I’m improving all the time. I’ve enjoyed the start to the season that I’ve had, it’s probably been my best form since I moved to left back. Being part of the international set-up has definitely helped me to come on as a player.”