I HAVE NEVER HIS 2018/19 STATS FELT SO CONFIDENT

Doherty on crest of a wave after playing his part in Wolves’ stunning season to date but accepts his international career has yet to get off the ground

MATT DOHERTY feels his Ireland career is finally ready to take off and last night declared: “My confidence is sky high.”

It’s three years ago this week since the Wolves ace was first called into a senior squad.

And while Martin O’neill belatedly capped him in the friendly defeat to Turkey this time last year, Doherty rarely felt front and centre in the former manager’s plans. In September he said “maybe my face just doesn’t fit” – but that was a claim O’neill rejected.

Doherty (left) won another four caps – two of them starts – in 2018, but it was a grim year that all connected with the side is eager to forget.

Doherty has been a revelation in the Premier League this season with six goals and seven assists from right wing-back for Wolves who are seventh in their first season back in the top flight.

And having sent Manchester United packing last Friday, they also have an FA Cup semi-final against Watford to come.

Good times for sure... and yet the 27-year-old feels there’s a void he needs to fill in a green shirt.

It’s not that his international career has been stopstart, rather he feels it has yet to get going at all.

The change in management has worked in his favour as it was Mick Mccarthy who signed him for Wolves from Bohemians back in 2010.

Roller-coaster loans with Hibs and Bury followed before forcing his way into the Wolves team just as they were plummeting into League One.

And yet that relegation was ultimately the making of him at Molineaux.

“I always had inner belief, I’ve always backed myself,” he said yesterday ahead of today’s flight to Gibraltar. “I’ve seen it all – a lot of disappointments. But I’ve come back winning League One and the Championship and if we could win the FA Cup that would top it all.

“Not many careers are just straightforward with success. Most players when they’re young have to go on loan at some point and learn their trade.

“It’s just about whether your loan is successful and, if it isn’t, how you come back from it.

“I didn’t have a great time at