Robbie Keane on becoming the leading goalscorer in Euro qualifying history: It's nice

Keane struck three times inside 12 first-half minutes to wrap up a second successive Group D victory before he and his team-mates had even broken sweat to leave the visitors in tatters.

The Ireland skipper, winning his 136th cap, has now scored 65 senior international goals, only three fewer than West Germany star Gerd Muller, whose haul of 68 came in just 62 appearances for his country.

Robbie Keane did become the highest scorer in European Championship qualifying history with his early hat-trick bringing his tally to 21, overtaking Turkish great Hakan Sukur in the process but was completely unaware of his feat.

"It's a nice thing to have. I wasn't ware of it but it's something I'm not too bothered thinking about it," he told RTE's Tony O'Donoghue after the game.

"Years down the line I might look back at it but at the moment, I'm certainly not even thinking about it.

"When you're playing against a team like that, you're expected to win.

"If you don't win by a lot of goals people question you but we did exactly what we wanted to do tonight.

"The most important things was to get an early goal."

There have been suggestions that Keane may not start against the Germans on Tuesday in Gelsenkirchen, with Shane Long starting up front.

"At the end of the day it's the manager's decision. Whatever he does, I'll be fully behind him," he added.

"We have a good squad of players, we're going to go over to Germany and give them a right go.

"Their World Cup champions but I believe we can go there and get something out of it."

Wes Hoolahan played a part in all three of Keane's goals and he was delighted with his evening's work and is hoping it has earned him a starting berth against Joachim Loew's men.

"It was a brilliant evening, we started off very well. we pressurised them and created a lot of chances," he said.

"The gaffer said at half time that we needed to press more and we did that.

"I was heavily involved in some of the goals so it was nice. To get a goal as well was an added bonus.

"He(Keane) is so clever in and around the box, he's a proven goalscorer. You see tonight how clinical he is."

Wigan player McClean then got in on the act after the break, scoring either side of goalkeeper Jordan Perez's own goal, and Wes Hoolahan completed the rout with a 56th-minute effort to make it two wins out of two for the Irish in Group D.

McClean told Sky Sports: "We did a professional job, we prepared the right way. It was important to get the early goal and settle everyone down.

"The goals meant everything. Playing for my country is the greatest privilege in football and to score goals, my first home goals as well, it's something that will be with me forever. Hopefully I can push on from that and get a few more."