Robbie Keane and Anthony Pilkington have joined the Republic of Ireland casualty list.
Five players will now miss Friday night’s friendly with Switzerland but Martin O’Neill is hoping to have as many as three of them back for Tuesday’s clash with Slovakia.
Jeff Hendrick and Harry Arter have pulled out of the squad for the rest of the camp but each of Pilkington, Keane and Jon Walters will be reassessed at the weekend.
"Robbie Keane probably won't be available for tomorrow evening. We'll have a look at it again on Saturday" pic.twitter.com/BcxpSD9Q4Z
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 24, 2016
Both Robbie Keane and Pilkington miss out with knee injuries in a build-up that leaves the manager with 28 men to choose from for the first friendly with Switzerland.
Despite five midfielders and attackers missing, Martin O’Neill chose not to call up Jack Byrne despite the 19-year-old training with the team in Abbotstown on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (read Dion Fanning on why it was a mistake to leave Byrne out).
O’Neill did confirm that Shane Duffy would start at least one of the two games.
The Derry man has been in fine form for Blackburn and, according to the power ranking stats, he should be in the Ireland team at present.
“With a bit of luck he will start one of the two games,” the manager confirmed before stating that he would have no issue with playing anyone in both games. “When I came into the job he was at Yeovil on loan and I had a look at them as far back as then.”
And John O’Shea has been impressed with what is now a genuine rival to his own centre back aspirations.
“He’s one for present and the future that’s for sure,” the Sunderland man said. “I know a few lads at Sunderland who were on loan with him previously and they were impressed.
“He’s doing brilliantly at club level. Sometimes it can take central defenders a bit longer to mature but with experience he’s growing in confidence.”
