David McGoldrick is among nine players omitted by Martin O'Neill from the Republic of Ireland squad for the Euro 2016 playoff against Bosnia and Herzegovina but the manager has not yet given up on John O'Shea. The squad captain is one of five players
in the 30-long updated list who will be assessed by their clubs before a final call is made on whether they can report over the coming days.
Rob Elliot will also stay at Newcastle for the moment with the goalkeeper, who played a key role for his club as they won at Bournemouth over the weekend, carrying quad and thigh muscle strains that have, given the injuries being carried by other goalkeepers at the club, made manager Steve McClaren reluctant to let him travel.
Paul McShane, Shane Long and Alan Judge complete the shortlist of walking wounded with the Brentford midfielder now a doubt due to a tight hamstring that may yet rule him out for the travelling party for Zenica on Friday.
The bulk of the group is due to train for the first time this afternoon but O’Neill will be particularly anxious to see if O’Shea, who is suspended for the away game, makes enough progress after aggravating a hamstring problem, to be involved for the return leg.
“He’s not going to get fit in 10 days with a hamstring injury,” said a sceptical Sam Allardyce after Sunderland’s narrow defeat by Southampton on Saturday which O’Shea missed after having apparently felt sore that morning. “He will be talking to them – the Republic – but I wouldn’t have thought that, with the recurrence in his hamstring, he would be anywhere near available.”
There was some consolation for the Ireland manager in the form of Ciaran Clark playing all 90 minutes for Aston Villa yesterday as he and his side did exceptionally well to hold Manchester City to a scoreless draw at home.
