There’s just one new face in the Ireland squad for the games with Gibraltar and Georgia

New blood

Kevin McGillicuddy

There’s just one new face in the Ireland squad for the games with Gibraltar and Georgia

Surprise.

Let’s get this over with early. Jack Grealish is not in the Ireland squad for the next two games in which we attempt to qualify for Euro 2016.

The Aston Villa man is once again an absentee having asked Martin O’Neill for more time to s~~ee if he’s called up by England~~ consider his future, but at least there is one new face in the squad.

Eunan O’Kane impressed during Bournemouth’s 1-0 defeat on Monday night at Anfield, and today he’s celebrating a first ever call-up to the Irish senior squad.

Derry-born O’Kane represented Northern Ireland at underage level before making three appearances for the Republic of Ireland under-21s, the last of which came in 2012.

Now he has a chance to add a senior cap.

Martin O’Neill has named a provisional squad of 37, basically every player on earth who is eligible to play for Ireland (apart from Grealish and Stephen Ireland) for the double-header against Gibraltar and Georgia next month.

Brentford’s Alan Judge and Aberdeen’s Adam Rooney are also included.

Greg Cunningham is also back in the extended panel while the numbers are expected to be reduced before the end of the month.

Somewhat unusually there are five goalkeepers also named in the squad, so we must be fearful of a barrage of shots coming in when we head to Faro, and then host Georgia at the Aviva next month.

The squad in full is:

Goalkeepers

David Forde Millwall

Shay Given Stoke City

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