Max O'Leary was minding his own business at home when his phone lit up with a call from an unknown number.
It was a Friday morning in May, 2019 and the goalkeeper was reflecting on a reasonable season having made 16 Championship appearances for Bristol City.
He has been with the club since he was 11, but clocking up a steady run of first-team games hasn’t always been straightforward.
International football certainly wasn’t on his mind, but Mick McCarthy was alerted to the English-born stopper’s Kerry roots and put in a speculative call.
1,600 miles away on the Algarve, Mark Travers had suffered a freak thumb injury that left Irish team doctor Alan Byrne and goalkeeper coach Alan Kelly perplexed.
With Euro 2020 qualifiers against Denmark and Gibraltar just over a week away, McCarthy needed reinforcements between the posts at the Quinta do Lago training camp in Portugal.
“It wasn’t on my radar whatsoever,” O’Leary told Mirror Sport, as Bristol City prepare to face divisional rivals Swansea City in the FA Cup third round tomorrow.
“I knew I had done alright in the Championship and next thing I get this call out of the blue.
“It was Mick asking me if I fancied flying out to Portugal to join up with the Ireland squad. I was really surprised but didn’t think twice.
“I got the call early enough in the day, was on a plane to Portugal that evening and got into camp for training the following morning.”
Such was the whirlwind nature of it all, O’Leary’s international clearance still had to be processed so he made the trip knowing he wouldn’t be involved in either game.
That process would take time, so Bohemians goalkeeper James Talbot also travelled as back-up for Darren Randolph and Sean McDermott.
It could easily have been a flash in the pan involvement and the lesser spotted O’Leary would never be seen again but, playing at a good level, he wanted more and felt it was doable.
Still, he had to be patient in that regard.
While a season long loan at Shrewsbury followed that Portugal camp, there were no call ups under Stephen Kenny.
Not until 2022 anyway, when the former underage cricket star for Somerset ended up on the bench for six of Ireland’s ten games last year.
He was a late call-up for the March friendlies against Belgium and Lithuania when Gavin Bazunu was ill.
And when Talbot suffered a season-ending shoulder injury on Nations League duty, Kenny drafted him in as sub for the home win over Scotland and Ukraine draw in Poland.
Then in October, with Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher injured, O’Leary was named in the squad proper for the concluding Nations League ties with Scotland and Armenia.
The 26-year-old is eligible to play for Ireland through his late grandfather, Sean O’Leary, who hailed from Farranfore, Co Kerry.
“He came to England when he was 18, to study in University, and ended up meeting his wife and staying,” said O’Leary.
“We still have family in Ireland and I’ve been over with my Dad a few times to visit them.
“My Dad has loved coming over to Ireland for some of the Ireland camps and games but he's a teacher so it's hard for him to make the midweek ones!
“Sadly, my granddad passed away a few years ago. But it’s a privilege to represent my family and his background in particular. It would be incredible to play for Ireland.”
O’Leary is still chasing that elusive first Ireland cap and will continue to fly under the radar with Irish fans until he makes that breakthrough.
But he appreciates how difficult that will be considering the hot competition he faces with Bazunu, Kelleher and Travers all ahead of him in the pecking order.
And with all three available in November, he wasn’t involved for the low-key friendlies against Norway and Malta.
But Kenny has already shown that he isn’t afraid to drop outfield players who are not playing regularly for their clubs.
So why should it be any different for goalkeepers?
As well-regarded as Kelleher is, he doesn’t see much action at Liverpool whereas O’Leary has been playing every week in the Championship since early October.
It's a sliver of motivation with a Euro 2024 qualifying campaign around the corner.
O'Leary said: “It’s one of the strongest goalkeeping groups there is, especially the age the other guys are at. They’re all great, young goalkeepers.
“Gav has been brilliant since he has come in, Caoimhin has been good when he has played games and Mark is now playing in the Premier League at Bournemouth.
“Just being with those guys for a few camps has been a real eye opener for me. It’s a different environment and really positive.
“Stephen came to meet me last year and told me he’s watching my games and it’s nice knowing that I’m in the back of his mind, if and when I’m needed.
“There will be lads playing, and lads not playing and that’s how it goes. I'm just trying to be consistent with my performances and I’ll be ready when needed.”
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Max O'Leary would love a giant killing run in the FA Cup having nearly sent Liverpool - and Caoimhin Kelleher - packing in the past.
The Ireland squad man was on a season-long loan to Shrewsbury Town from Bristol City when the League One side drew the Premier League giants in 2020.
The third round clash at New Meadow was a BBC pick for live TV and Shrewsbury came from 2-0 down to force a replay at Anfield.
“It was amazing to play Liverpool,” said O’Leary, who was up against Adrian on that occasion.
“The initial fixture was packed out at our place and it was the first time I’ve played a big game like that on te BBC.
“We got a great result and went back to their place which was a great experience. I played against Caoimhin Kelleher in that one and will always remember it.”
Back at Bristol City and their regular No 1 since October, O’Leary is gearing up to face Championship rivals Swansea City in tomorrow’s third round.
He made his Bristol City debut as a half-time sub in an FA Cup third round clash against West Brom - then a Premier League side - in 2016.
“It’s a competition I like and it’s nice to have a game week where it’s a little bit different, although we do have Championship opposition,” he added.
“Swansea play nice football so it should be a good game. Our league results haven’t been great lately but we want to get a run going.
“Our manager (Nigel Pearson) always says to me ‘you’re in the team for what you can do, not what you can’t do, so bring what you can to the table’.
“I’ve tried to do that and be as consistent as possible. I’m getting a good flow going and I feel good.”
