LUTON STRIKER JAMES Collins has been included in the final 23-man Ireland squad for the upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Gibraltar and Georgia.
Injured pair Ronan Curtis and Alan Browne have also both been named in the squad, though McCarthy indicated Curtis had little chance of featuring on account of the freak finger accident he suffered, while Browne is also a major doubt after picking up a knock for Preston last night.
There are a number of notable absences from the original provisional squad, with James McCarthy, David Meyler and Cyrus Christie among those not to feature.
Jimmy Dunne, Caoimhin Kelleher, Kieran O’Hara, Stephen Ward, Derrick Williams, Kevin Long, Aiden McGeady, Shaun Williams, Daryl Horgan, Padraig Amond, Aiden O’Brien and Scott Hogan also miss out, having been included originally.
Ireland will kick off their campaign away to Gibraltar on 23 March, before hosting Georgia three days later.
The squad will link up ahead of the FAI Awards on Sunday, before beginning their preparations at the FAI National Training Centre on Monday.
Republic of Ireland Squad
Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (Middlesbrough), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Mark Travers (Bournemouth)
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Richard Keogh (Derby County), John Egan (Sheffield United), Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Enda Stevens (Sheffield United)
Midfielders: Alan Judge (Ipswich Town), Jeff Hendrick (Burnley), Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Harry Arter (Cardiff City*), Glenn Whelan (Aston Villa), Robbie Brady (Burnley), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City), James McClean (Stoke City)
Forwards: Shane Long (Southampton), Sean Maguire (Preston North End), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), David McGoldrick (Sheffield United), James Collins (Luton Town)*Indicates player is on loan
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No Bamford yet, but from what Yorkshire Evening Post correspondents are saying, he will probably declare in the summer when Leeds’ neck and neck promotion run in concludes. Right now he’s an invaluable part of how well they’re doing and it would be catastrophic for their promotion bid if he got injured
@Facundo: makes sense
@Seaniecp: club before country kind of guy
Gk Randolf RB Coleman LB Doherty CBs Keogh Duffy CM Hendrick Arter Brady RW O dowda LW McLean ST Long that’s what would I would like to see what do you think yourself lads?
@Drew Walsh: the 451 just leads to the lone striker being isolated (when we play it) so it just turns into lump ball and chase after it. For that I’d play two up.
@Drew Walsh: Enda Stevens ahead of Keogh.
@Drew Walsh: think long and McClean are impact players off the bench. Shift Brady to LW, if he starts,and tuck mcgoldrick in behind Collins or Maguire. Goalscoring is a habit and long just doesn’t have that habit!
@Marsellus Wallace: LB for a CB? nah.
@Drew Walsh: Not Brady. He is terrible lately.
@Jonny Bottles: Not Brady.
@.: played well for Sheff Utd at CB recently.
No James McCarthy?
@Kroenke Out: The same James McCarthy who hasn’t played a full game in 14 months?
@Kroenke Out: and is rubbish for ireland and passionless
@Kroenke Out: Tipping 30 now and the amount of good games he has played for us you could count on 1 hand
@Turkish:
Has 41 caps and when fit is by far the best CM we have. He is fit but has got no club game time – hence decision.
Always gives 100% on the pitch. We badly need him match fit.
——————-Randolph
Coleman – Duffy – Keogh – Doherty
—Hendrick – Whelan – Browne
Maguire—-McGoldrick–O’Dowda
What’s whelan got to offer in this squad? Ffs
@Shane Lad: experience maybe, no harm having him in the squad
Did the provisional squad meet up and train between the provisional and actual squad announcement? What was the point if they didn’t?
GK Randolph
RB Coleman CB Duffy, Egan LB Stevens
RW Doherty CM Whelan, Browne LW Brady
CAM Hendrick
ST Maguire
@Tom Webb: Have a feeling Keogh will get the nod over Egan due to experience with Egan gradually replacing him over next few games.
I’m not sure Brady is up to speed. Haven’t seen him in any Burnley first XI’s recently.