What a day for Burnley, what a day for their Irish contingent.
Sean Dyche has obviously seen something he likes in Irish players, because he now has five of them with him at Burnley.
Stephen Ward got the Irish flag flying when he moved to Turf Moor in 2014, and he must have had some good reports about the club because Jeff Hendrick followed suit in 2016 and so did Robbie Brady when he joined for a club record fee in January 2017.
Jonathan Walters and Kevin Long joined this summer to bolster the Irish involvement at the club, and that guaranteed that Irish eyes would be watching intently on the side's progress this year.
The Clarets got their Premier League campaign off to a flying start as three goals in 19 first half minutes fired them to a swashbuckling victory over last year's Champions Chelsea.
Irish supporters were treated to a blockbuster start to the new season by 'their side' as four of the Republic of Ireland members of the squad played instrumental roles in their triumph.
Stephen Ward
scored a first-half screamer, Jeff Hendrick got the better of his duel with PFA Player of the Year Ngolo Kante, and
Robbie Brady went toe-to-toe with David Luiz.
Jonathan Walters came off the bench and didn't do his chances of starting next weekend against West Bromwich Albion any harm whatsoever.
The ever-patriotic Irish supporters were obviously proud of these lad's involvement in the victory, and cracked a few classic jokes.
https://twitter.com/shane_klz/status/896399634955984897
https://twitter.com/FCTwenteBenson/status/896399587379949569
https://twitter.com/TheFinal_Third/status/896399183833387010
https://twitter.com/ConorGreally/status/896391545380851713
https://twitter.com/RM4Saints/status/896383138276020227
