A local man is set to light up Laois television screens on Thursday, appearing on the latest episode of First Dates Ireland.

Portlaoise footballer Michael O'Connell is a third year nursing student, and decided to apply for First Dates Ireland last year.

Tired of ‘bringing home no winners’ and hoping to improve her dating record, Jesse (22) from Meath meets fellow student nurse Michael (23) from Portlaoise.

Hoping for a sporty man she can bring home to the parents but also take to the club, Jesse can barely conceal her excitement when Michael shared that he also plays football for Portlaoise.

Pictured: 23 year old Portlaoise footballer Michael O'Connell

"I was sitting down watching a repeat episode, I always thought it was an exclusive thing where you have to be picked out of a bunch of other applicants. I looked it up and saw that applications were open, my brother told me to apply for the craic, so I did and thought nothing of it," Michael told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"A few days later, I got an email to say I've been moved to the next stage. I had to record a video on my phone talking about myself, and then I was brought up to Dublin.

"I had to be there on a Sunday morning at 8am, so the fact I was there on time showed how much I was looking forward to it," the 23 year old laughed.

"I missed training and had to make up a story to the manager, no one knew I was taking part. My family obviously had questions about why I was heading to Dublin at that hour!" he said.

"I was absolutely wrecked, the eyes were hanging out of my head."

Michael's hopes going in to the experience were to click with someone who had a great personality. 

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"I did it for the experience, and if I met someone I clicked with, it's a bonus. I wanted to get myself out of my comfort zone and push myself. If you had asked me earlier last year if I'd take part in First Dates, I'd tell you where to go," he said.

The Portlaoise man joked that when you work in a hospital, very little is kept a secret.

"I eventually told one person that I'd be going on the programme, the next thing the whole hospital knew," he laughed.

"The episode airs on Thursday and it'll be judgement day from everyone I work with, I'm just hoping I won't have to take two weeks holidays after it!".

Michael said that he's slightly nervous for the upcoming episode, but has been blown away by the support from his friends, family and Laois locals.

"I'm bricking it a bit for the episode to come out, I was in work over the weekend when one of the clips of the date were released as a reel. My phone blew up, I was looking at the comments worrying a bit. Tonight's episode is a lot longer than a 15 second clip.

"Portlaoise is a big town, but it's a small town too- everyone knows everything and you'd get stared at- I feel worse for my twin brother, people keep asking him if he's the fella on First Dates," he laughed.

Michael sincerely recommends the experience, and encourages any Laois locals who have considered taking part to 'just apply'.

"I recommend it big time, you have nothing to lose. It's great fun and the producers are very good with you, they made sure we felt comfortable and it was a great experience. Don't second guess it, just go for it," he said.

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"I know that there were two Laois people on First Dates last week, including Caoimhe who's also from Portlaoise. I'm not sure what it says about Laois people, that we're all applying," he laughed.

Will Michael and Jesse hit it off? Tune in to Thursday March 19's episode of First Dates Ireland on RTÉ2 at 9:35pm.