kilbane won his 100th cap against montenegro on 14 november 2009. as of 4 june 2011, kilbane played his 66th consecutive competitive international game (a run stretching back to 1999); only england's billy wright has achieved a longer unbroken run in competitive international football. kilbane was only four games away from equalling wright's record of 70 consecutive competitive international starts. however this incredible run ended after he was not selected for ireland's crunch uefa euro 2012 qualification tie against slovakia due to a back injury.