Richard Dunne signs QPR contract extension

Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne has signed a one-year contract extension with QPR.

The Dubliner made 37 appearance for the club this season, an achievement made all the more remarkable by the fact the 34-year-old missed a season through injury after Euro 2012.

QPR are third in the Championship and have, along with second-placed Burnley, conceded the fewest goals in the league, leaking 33 in 39 games.

“I am delighted. After missing a year through injury, to come back and play so many games is great,” Dunne told www.qpr.co.uk. “There is naturally always that worry that the injury may go again, so to play as regularly as I have has been brilliant. If we can kick on now and finish on a high, that would be the ultimate end to the season.

“What we have to do now is try to get as many points on the board as possible, and also to mentally prepare ourselves for the play-offs. When they come around we’ve got to make sure we’re in good form.”

He added: “We were disappointed not to win on Saturday against Blackpool but our performances haven’t been too bad recently, and if we can keep that up and continue to win games then we’ll go into those play-offs full of belief and full of spirit.

“The aim from the start of this season was to win promotion to the Premier League and that remains the case. That’s all we’re concentrating on at the moment.

“Whatever happens at the end of May, we’ll prepare accordingly for next season and for whatever challenge that brings.”

On the international front it remains to be seen just how much Ireland manager Martin O’Neill will count on Dunne in the Euro 2016 campaign that starts in September, but his involvement in the play-offs could well mean he will miss the end of season friendlies planned for Dublin, London, Philadelphia and New York.