Martin O’Neill remains hopeful that both James McCarthy and Ciaran Clark can be fit in time for Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against Wales next week although the manager admits that he is not entirely sure that either will be available.
“Shane Duffy is a big injury blow to for us he has been playing really well for his club,” he said as he announced his 39 man squad for that game and the friendly against Iceland that follows, “but I’m hoping that Ciaran’s injury is not that serious. I don’t know for sure but I don’t think it is, I think it (taking him off against Fulham on Saturday) was just precautionary.”
As for McCarthy, O’Neill’s “previous” with Everton quickly came to the fore as he discussed the midfielder’s prospects of featuring. “He (Ronald Koeman) is disappointed that he’s got another injury,” said the Irishman, “but I don’t think we can be blamed for that. We haven’t had him for the a few months, Everton have had him all the while so I don’t think any blame could attach to us.... although you never know.”
“But I spoke to James last week and he’s not feeling bad at all. I think the hope is that he will be in full training by the end of this week and we will assess it after that.”
John Egan of Brentford and Reading’s Liam Kelly are both included in one of the manager’s extended squads for the first time while Newcastle United goalkeeper Rob Elliot is recalled after a long absence through injury despite not having played a first team game this season.
“I’ve watched the both of them,” O’Neill said of the outfield players. “I know John from my days at Sunderland; he was only a kid then but he has a great attitude to the game. I don’t know Liam so well but he’s playing regularly for Reading and looks as though he has pretty good control.”
Both will do well to survive the cuts O’Neill says he will make to the group over the coming week but, as the manager suggested, their inclusion at this stage will provide encouragement after spells in which they have been making progress at club level.
The manager acknowledged, meanwhile, that Robbie Brady will be missed for Friday week’s game but, he insisted, the other players have shown that they can get by without key players when required to.
“He will be a big loss to us,” he said. “When you think that the second booking that he picked up....wasn’t fantastic, in all honesty, but we have played loads and loads of games without big players. You curse your luck for about five minutes and then just hope that you have players who can slot in.
“If you had told me that we wouldn’t have Brady and Hendrick for games.... but players have risen to the occasion and we have got the points on the board.”
Squad: Colin Doyle (Bradford City), Rob Elliot (Newcastle United), Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday); Seamus Coleman (Everton), Cyrus Christie, Richard Keogh, Alex Pearce (all Derby County), Paul McShane (Reading), Andy Boyle (Preston North End), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), John Egan (Brentford), Stephen Ward (Burnley), Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers); Aiden McGeady, Daryl Horgan (both Preston North End), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), James McCarthy (Everton), Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady (both Burnley), David Meyler (Hull City), Liam Kelly (Reading), Darron Gibson (Sunderland), Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Eunan O'Kane (Leeds United), Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City), Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City), Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City), Callum O'Dowda (Bristol City), Jonathan Hayes (Aberdeen), James McClean (West Bromwich Albion); Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids), Shane Long (Southampton), David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town), Daryl Murphy (Newcastle United), Adam Rooney (Aberdeen), Jonathan Walters (Stoke City).
