Ipswich Town: Dara O'Shea on playing for Blues and character of team

The £12m signing from Burnley replaced Luke Woolfenden in the back line at Brighton on Saturday, making his top tier debut for Town in an impressive 0-0 draw with the high-flying Seagulls.

It was the first clean sheet in the Premier League this season for the newly-promoted Blues, with keeper Aro Muric making some spectacular saves to keep Brighton at bay.

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O'Shea told TownTV: “It was my first time stepping in today and obviously I’ve played with Aro before at Burnley and I know what an amazing keeper he is, I’ve got a good relationship with him so I can use that to my advantage.

“But the first time in the backline with the lads today for myself was good.

“Obviously it’s going to take time for me to integrate properly and feel comfortable, but it’s a great way to start my time here with a point away.”

O'Shea helped Town keep their first clean sheet of the season (Image: Ross Halls) To a man, Town showed real fight and a willingness to put their bodies on the line at Brighton - and Irish international O'Shea said that's a non negotiable if the side are going to succeed at the highest level.

“That’s the character of the team, we need to have this," he insisted. "It’s not an easy league, you’re playing against the best players in the world, so you’ve got to be switched on and you’ve got to show your personality.

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“Be brave in possession and out of possession – that was the message today, be brave.

“We know we’re good enough at this level – we’ve just got to go out and show it and prove it to ourselves and prove it to everyone else.”

Dara O'Shea said he's very proud to play for Town (Image: Ross Halls)

Asked what his first league start for Town meant to him, O'Shea enthused:  “I’m immensely proud to play for this club. It’s a massive club, you see how good the fans were.

“Being on the bench for the last home game, my first time at Portman Road, I felt the energy and the atmosphere in the ground, that’s massive - and that’s going to be so big for us this season.

“The travelling support we brought today was incredible and that helped us definitely today.

“Everyone at the club are all going to have to play their parts this season.

“We certainly will – I’ll try my best for sure and give everything, and hopefully we come out on the right side of it and have a really successful season.”