30 players in the squad, 25 training.
The Republic of Ireland took for Abbotstown on Tuesday morning for preparations ahead of the trip to Bosnia on Friday night but the absentees list wasn’t any thinner.
Shane Long, John O’Shea, Rob Elliot, Alan Judge and Paul McShane are still sidelined with injury, but the rest of the squad took part in full training.
John O’Shea – the only player to have featured in all 10 group games for Ireland – is suspended for the first leg anyway along with Jon Walters so the management are sweating on the fitness of the rest of them. In particular, Shane Long.
And Roy Keane had no further update on the injured list as he too waits and sees. The assistant manager did however admit that the team could have to prepare without the five that are missing training. For Friday at least.
“We’ll know more in the next 24 hours… if that’s any good to you,” Keane said.
“We’re still not ruling these lads out. A lot could change over the next day or two but the closer it gets to the game, then obviously the less likely it is.
“I’d be reluctant to start the game [on Friday] with one or two lads who are carrying knocks going into a game because if you’re making substitutions after 15 minutes, your hands are tied later in the game.
“I never thought for one minute that we’d turn up this week and everyone would be available, that’s just not possible. That’s football. Whatever happens, the boys will give it everything on Friday night.”
After the squad was cut from 39 to 30, here are the remaining players at Martin O’Neill’s disposal.
Goalkeepers
David Forde (Millwall), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Rob Elliot (Newcastle United)
Defenders
Richard Keogh (Derby County), Marc Wilson (Stoke City), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Cyrus Christie (Derby County), John O’Shea (Sunderland) , Alex Pearce (Derby County), Shane Duffy (Blackburn Rovers), Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa), Paul McShane (Reading), Stephen Ward (Burnley), Robbie Brady (Norwich City)
Midfielders
James McCarthy (Everton), Jeff Hendrick (Derby County), Darron Gibson (Everton), Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), Aiden McGeady (Everton), James McClean (West Bromwich Albion), Alan Judge (Brentford), David Meyler (Hull City), Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City)
Forwards
Jonathan Walters (Stoke City), Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), Shane Long (Southampton), Daryl Murphy (Ipswich Town), Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids)
