SHANE Long is hoping that his Saints form will launch him into the Euro 2016 spotlight this summer with the Republic of Ireland.

Long scored 13 goals in all competitions this season and broke into double figures in the Premier League for the first time in his career.

The in-form striker is now aiming to power into the Euros with Ireland where they face a huge task in Group E.

Martin O’Neill’s side face FIFA ranked world number two side Belgium, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden as well as Graziano Pelle and Italy in a solid group stage.

“It’s exciting,” he said. “We’ve got a tough group. The country will be buzzing behind us.

“I’m really excited and hope I’m part of it more than I was last time.”

At the last tournament in Poland and Ukraine in 2012, Long was used sparingly in a disastrous campaign for the Republic.

He made just two second-half appearances as they were dumped out of the competition via three straight defeats to Croatia, Spain and Italy.

This time around Long, who scored a vital winning goal in the qualifiers against world champions Germany to help send them to the finals, is hopeful things will be different.

“The manager has us set up well and we have great ability attacking wise, so hopefully it will be a big tournament for Ireland,” he said.

“We know it is going to be hard. We always go into games as underdogs so we will just approach it in the right way and hopefully graft out a good result.”

Long and Ireland will go head-to-head with Saints team-mate Pelle in their final group game at Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille on June 22.

The former Hull City and West Bromwich Albion man is keen to go into their final match in a good position after facing Sweden and Belgium.

“Hopefully we have two wins under our belt by the time we play Graziano’s Italy,” he smiled.

“Italy are Italy: they are one of the biggest teams in Europe and the world, so hopefully we don’t go into that game needing a win.”

Long and Ireland will come up against the Netherlands tonight in a warm-up game for the Euros in France next month.

The Dutch team includes Saints defender Virgil van Dijk, which means Saints’ centre-back and supporters player and players’ player of the season will have the rather unenviable job of trying to silence the tenacious Long.

Jordy Clasie was left out of the Netherlands squad, while there was also no room for keeper Maarten Stekelenburg, who has now returned to parent club Fulham after his loan spell at St Mary’s ended.