Galway actor Eugene catches Hollywood star Pacino on the hop

So when Claregalway actor Eugene Horan took to the microphone at a gala event in London honouring the veteran actor with a monologue from his football movie, Any Given Sunday, he was having none of it.

“My game plan went totally out the window and the improv' skills needed in the acting game certainly kicked in to gear," Eugene exclaimed.

"I had my own scripted piece prepared but I never anticipated Al playing along with it, interrupting it, changing the direction of it and completely engaging in what turned out to be a real crowd pleasing public conversation.”

Eugene had come to the attention of organisers with an online video he posted of himself doing the famous inspirational speech in the dressing room.

They invited him to the black tie event attended by 1,000 people to perform – albeit to do it surreptitiously.

He was planted in the audience to ask a question in the Q&A part of the event at the end of the evening. When they handed him the microphone, he began his well-rehearsed lines. Earlier Pacino had revealed the best impersonation of him had been delivered by Johnny Depp – and one of the worst was by Kevin Spacey.

“Al quickly realized that I was impersonating him and he stood up from his stool and started walking towards the front of the stage to observe me more closely. Without even thinking, I continued with the speech while walking right up to the stage.”

Both men appeared to almost square up to each other – much to the amusement the audience.

“The next thing I know, Al is standing right above me at the edge of the stage and we begin this fantastic exchange of dialogue, all the while staying completely in character. As he's staring down at me I feel like all Al was missing is the M16 assault rifle he used in Scarface.”

Pacino asked Eugene to join him up on stage threw his arms around the Galway actor. "You got some balls kid, I like that," the legend quipped.

He also revealed that his impersonation was better than Kevin Spacey’s

Backstage, the pair met again and the star of The Godfather gave him the ultimate accolade.

"I really enjoyed that kid. You're good. Real good."

It was a personal high to meet Al Pacino for the 33-year-old who has been slowly building a profile in the business for the past 14 years.

In the past 18 months he has met his other acting hero – Robert De Niro – and has a role in a movie executively produced by Martin Scorsese. Tomorrow, directed by Martha Pinson, Scorsese’s long term script superviser, will headline the Toronto Film Festival in September. His other projects are also set for release this year – Scottish film The Fairy Flag, also featuring Galwegian Jade Yourell, and zombie thriller, Plan Z.

After secondary school in Moneenageisha, Eugene painted murals and later designed sports gear before becoming a personal fitness trainer.

He decided to concentrate on acting after winning a coveted place at an acting convention in Los Angeles and training with casting agent Claire Sinnott, who gave Brad Pitt and Keanu Reeves their first big break. He is currently recording voice over roles in a video game from the producers of Grand Theft Auto.

Eugene could not forgo the chance of pitching the Oscar winner for work when he had the chance.

He told Pacino he was really looking forward to seeing him in The Irishman, a mobster movie which has been in the works for years, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Bobby Cannavale.

“I told him I couldn’t help notice that you’re missing an actual Irishman. He laughed. To be honest I’m not expecting anything to come out of the night. To get the chance to perform onstage with him was a huge thing for me,” Eugene added.