Scott Hogan could get call for Ireland’s final two World Cup qualifiers

Scott Hogan could be included in the Ireland squad for next month's World Cup qualifying games against Moldova and Wales when Martin O'Neill names it at lunchtime on Tuesday.

David McGoldrick and Eunan O’Kane are both set to be included in the squad after having had to withdraw last time around while James McCarthy, who is only scheduled to return to full training at Everton this week, looks like a long shot to feature in the games, the first of which is on Friday week.

Jon Walters is all but certain to be included despite a knee injury that may yet prevent the 34-year-old from featuring in Burnley's game against Everton this Sunday but it remains to be seen if Aston Villa striker Hogan will get his first call up.

The 25-year-old had to be omitted from the squad for the Georgia and Serbia games as he had not completed the paperwork required to obtain a passport. It is not known whether he has obtained the passport since but his form at club level has probably not been adding to the urgency of the situation with the player having failed to score in his last six appearances for the championship side.

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“We have to rise to the occasion again,” says O’Neill of the forthcoming games. “This is it. We have two games and we know that if win those two games that you would be desperately unlucky not to be in the playoffs.”