Rory Donnelly hopes his scoring form for Gillingham could lead him to the European Championship.

The 23-year-old Belfast-born striker bagged his fifth goal in three games for the League 1 promotion-chasers in the 3-1 win at Chesterfield on Saturday.

Donnelly has previously played international football for Northern Ireland at under-21 level.

His home country qualified for the European Championships in France next summer on Thursday night, their first major tournament in 30 years.

Donnelly said: “They did really well to get to France and let’s see what happens now. I would love to play for them but I just have to keep the performances up.”

His time with the Gills got off to a slow start, looking like being fourth in the pecking order among the four strikers.

But the former Swansea striker – who once had Liverpool and Everton chasing his signature – is now making the most of his chance in the starting XI.

He added: “Everything just seems to be going for me at the moment. It’s about doing hard work on the training ground and the gaffer has given me a chance.

“I am loving life at the Gills at the moment. There are some really good players that I am keeping out and hopefully the run can keep on going.”