However, Rooney, 22, will be too old by then, and so he is desperate to sign off in style.

He said: 'I'm delighted to be back with the Under-21s. It's been a few years since I was in the squad, so I'm glad to be back.

'Unfortunately, these will be my last two matches because I will be over-age for the next campaign, so hopefully I get a chance to play and it will be great to play for Ireland again.'

When Rooney last represented his country against England in February 2008, he was still trying to make his way in the game at Stoke City, from where he had loan spells at Yeovil, Chesterfield and Bury.

However, he has blossomed since moving north of the border to join Inverness Caledonian Thistle, for whom he scored 24 goals last season as they bounced back into the Scottish Premier League at the first attempt.

Four goals in five top-flight games to date have demonstrated his continuing potency, and he is relishing the chance to link up with Anthony Stokes once again following his big summer move to Celtic.

Rooney said: 'I would say myself, Kris Boyd and Stokesy were the top three scorers in Scotland last season, so it would be nice to link-up with Stokesy for the Under-21s.

'We have played together for Ireland a few times and we always seem to score goals together.'

Rooney puts the team first

CALEY THISTLE AWAY RECORD COMES BEFORE ADAM’S GOALS TARGET

Published: 27/11/2010

Adam Rooney had no idea he was on the verge of his own Inverness milestone at Parkhead today – but insists he would happily swap it for making them unbeaten away from home in a year.

As well as chalking up his 100th appearance for Caley Thistle in Glasgow's East End, the Dubliner is just one goal short of taking his goals tally to 50 in his two years since signing from Stoke City to make him one of the most prolific hitmen in the SPL.

Rooney, with 13 goals already to his credit this season, is relishing the trip to Celtic Park where Terry Butcher’s men have the chance to stretch their proud undefeated run in the league to exactly 12 months.

And while he’s had praise poured on him up until now for his exploits, the modest Irishman insists he’s more concerned with maintaining the team’s travelling record when they go head-to-head with Neil Lennon's title-chasers.

Rooney said: “Someone said to me the other day that I was close to my 50th goal for the club which I actually wasn’t aware of.

“Things have obviously been going well for me in front of goal and for a lot of strikers that’s the be the be-all-and-end-all.

“But, to be honest, my main focus has always been the team and helping them achieve first and foremost.

“As a forward, you go into every game wanting to hit the back of the net and this one will be no different. My attitude is that if it happens on the day then in happens.

“But if someone else takes the plaudits this week then I won’t be complaining as the main thing is to try and keep this fantastic run going away from home.

“It’s amazing to think that we’ve not lost away for such a long time and we’ve been to difficult places like Ibrox, Tynecastle and Tannadice and come away unscathed.

“Some would say that this represents the biggest test of our mettle yet as Celtic will be aiming to bounce back from drawing with Dundee United last weekend and we’ve also come this far in respect of our away form.

“However, we’re going there quietly confident and will approach it the same way as any other away fixture.”

Inverness emerged from their recent trip to the other half of the Old Firm with a well-deserved point against Rangers at Ibrox.

For once Rooney wasn’t on target that day although the Irish ace reckons they can draw inspiration from their game across in the other half of the city.

He said : “We fell behind against Rangers but still had the resilience and grit to come back for a point late in the game.

“There’s no real secret as such to our success but I think that Rangers draw sums us up our whole attitude.”