Updated at 16.13
MARTIN O’NEILL HAS named a provisional 40-man squad for the upcoming crucial Euro 2016 qualifiers against Poland and Germany.
Everton’s Seamus Coleman is included despite concerns after the defender picked up a recent injury in the club’s win over Chelsea.
In addition, Blackburn’s Shane Duffy makes the cut, while the uncapped trio of Eunan O’Kane, Adam Rooney and Alan Judge also feature.
Everton’s Darron Gibson also returns to the panel after missing the last round of matches through injury.
Speaking at today’s press conference in FAI HQ, Ireland manager O’Neill said: “After collecting six points from our last two qualifying games, we want to keep the momentum going and continue to push towards sealing qualification from what has proved to be a very difficult group.”
On Shane Duffy, who returns to the squad after a prolonged period out, O’Neill said: “We seem to have quite a number of centre-halves but I’ve been able to see him twice in quick succession, on Sunday and last night, and he’s doing fine.”
The Irish boss added that there were “a couple of problems” regarding Coleman, explaining:
“Seamus Coleman is a day-by-day affair as much as anything else. He came off in the Everton game. We’ll see how it goes.
“We do have a couple of weeks, of course, and lots of things can happen in that time.”
The Irish side are preparing for their final two Euro 2016 group qualifiers at home to Germany (8 October) and away against Poland (11 October).
Ireland squad:
David Forde (Millwall)
Shay Given (Stoke City)
Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday)
Darren Randolph (West Ham United)
Rob Elliot (Newcastle United)
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)
Greg Cunningham (Preston North End)
Robbie Brady (Norwich City)
James McCarthy (Everton)
Jeff Hendrick (Derby County)
Darron Gibson (Everton)
Harry Arter (Bournemouth)
Eunan O’Kane (Bournemouth)
Glenn Whelan (Stoke City)
Paul Green (Rotherham United)
Aiden McGeady (Everton)
James McClean (West Bromwich Albion)
Alan Judge (Brentford)
Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City)
Stephen Quinn (Reading)
David Meyler (Hull City)
Jonathan Walters (Stoke City)
Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City)
Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
Shane Long (Southampton)
Daryl Murphy (Ipswich Town)
Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids)
Anthony Stokes (Celtic FC)
David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town)
Adam Rooney (Aberdeen)
Simon Cox (Reading)
Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy
Paul green! Oh lord! Rotherham Utd says it all really
If I remember correctly he was man of the match in O’Neill’s first couple of friendlies
In fairness 40 in a squad is ridiculous, narrow it down to 25 straight away
How is Delaney not in it he’s our best centre back by a mile
retired in the summer from internationals I think. not 100% sure though.
Johnny’s right. Damien Delaney effectively called time on his international career back in August: http://www.the42.ie/damien-delaney-statement-2281894-Aug2015/
Maybe if they use all the squad at the same time then they might win……they are simply not good enough (ps hate the game!)
Ps you should go then…
Pure pointless calling up lads like Green,Ward and McShane.Marty should be giving lads like Kevin Long,Brian Lenihan,Alan Browne and Conor Hourihane a chance.
Who cares the rugby is starting saturday!!!!! :-))))
Supporting football and rugby isn’t mutually exclusive.
Rugby is shyte though.
If he extends it to fifty,I may get a call up myself.
If Gibson got a bit of game time between now and then he should slot in for Whelan while he’s banned.Green shouldn’t even have the novelty of being named in the squad,he’s never contributed anything and is miles behind the ability of McCarthy,Gibson,Whelan,Arter,O’Kane,Meyler,Quinn,Hendrick and probably not as good as Jack Byrne or Josh Cullen in the 21s,sure he dosnt start for Rottherham.Apart from that no complaints
Pick a couple of League of Ireland lands for the squad. There are lads as good as Green in our league.
Randolph doing well for west ham and the only keeper with regular premier games.
Get rid of all the dead wood Martin ffs.
Damian Delaney did not retire,he just gave up hope of been called into the Irish Squad.Roy Keane feel out with him at Ipswitch.
I mean,he fell out with him, sorry.
sure he played for Ireland since that, with Keane as assistant. He retired for different reasons
He has said he’s not the future of The Irish Team and so we move on….now we just have to hope that Grealish does the same thing and we move on.
Where were irelands soccor team in the last world cup? Now that was shite!!!!
Rugby a game played by men with odd shaped balls :-))))
jj you have to qualify for football world cups and alot more countries play football than rugby. Don’t be a knob.
the auld testostrone level’s are quiet high i see, reminds me of liverpool and man utd supportes, cant hack the slag!!!!
I thought Simon Cox retired..