Shane Duffy and Eunan O’Kane escaped injury in a road collision as they travelled to meet up with the Republic of Ireland squad in Dublin on Sunday.
Brighton defender Duffy and Leeds midfielder O’Kane were en route to the team hotel from Derry when their vehicle was involved in a collision, although neither man suffered any serious injury.
A Football Association of Ireland statement said: “We can confirm Shane Duffy and Eunan O’Kane were in a minor car crash en route to the Republic of Ireland training camp today.
“The two players have now reported safely to the team hotel in Dublin.”
The pair are due to fly out to the United States with the rest of the squad on Monday ahead of Ireland’s friendly against Mexico in New Jersey.
Manager Martin O’Neill will be particularly keen for 25-year-old Duffy to be involved in that game as he has missed out since March due to a fractured metatarsal, with a crucial World Cup qualifier against Austria to come on June 11th.
The central defender needed life-saving surgery as an 18-year-old after lacerating his liver in a freak accident during an Ireland training session in 2010.
Meanwhile, West Ham goalkeeper Darren Randolph and West Brom midfielder James McClean have been drafted into a party of 19 for the Mexico game, which kicks off at the MetLife Stadium at 8pm local time on Thursday (1am Irish time on Friday).
Bradford goalkeeper Colin Doyle will also travel after joining up with the squad in Dublin following his club's Sky Bet League One play-off final defeat to Millwall.
The bulk of those travelling spent three days last week in a training camp at the Fota Island resort in Cork, with many of O’Neill’s senior men only joining up on their return ahead of next Sunday’s friendly clash with Uruguay at the Aviva Stadium and the qualifier which follows seven days later.
However, Hammers youngster Declan Rice, who was involved with the senior set-up for the time time in Cork, will not make the trip.
The manager has already lost Everton midfielder James McCarthy and Southampton striker Shane Long from his initial 38-man selection due to injury and he will hope for better fortunes as he prepares for the key Group D clash.
Ireland are currently joint top of the group on 11 points with Serbia, who entertain Wales in Belgrade on June 11th, with the Welsh and the Austrians four points adrift at the halfway stage.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SQUAD: Colin Doyle (Bradford), Darren Randolph (West Ham), Cyrus Christie, Alex Pearce, Richard Keogh (all Derby), Shane Duffy (Brighton), Andy Boyle (Preston), Kevin Long (Burnley), John Egan (Brentford), Eunan O’Kane (Leeds), Alan Browne, Daryl Horgan (both Preston), Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Wes Hoolahan (Norwich), Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City), James McClean (West Brom), David McGoldrick (Ipswich), Daryl Murphy (Newcastle).
