Heimir Hallgrímsson already had a lengthy enough injury list ahead of Thursday and Sunday’s Nations League meetings with Finland and England, but it’s grown further for the Republic of Ireland manager with injuries ruling Séamus Coleman, Shane Duffy and Adam Idah out of both games.
Coleman, who hasn’t played for club or country since September’s defeat by England in Dublin, was already a doubt for this window after what Everton manager Sean Dyche described as a “minor hamstring problem” forced him out of training last week. His unavailability was confirmed on Monday when the squad gathered in Abbotstown for training.
Duffy and Idah both played for their clubs at the weekend, but picked up knocks that have ruled them out, with Wolves’ Matt Doherty, Southampton’s Ryan Manning and Everton’s Jake O’Brien called up as replacements.
Hallgrímsson had left Doherty out of this and his previous squad but has recalled the 32-year-old who hasn’t started a league game for his club since August. O’Brien has also struggled for game time since moving from Lyon to Everton in the summer, the Cork man not featuring in their side since a League Cup game in mid September. Manning, though, has broken back in to the Southampton team, starting their last three league games.
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After having to be helped off the pitch an hour in to Watford’s win over Oxford United on Friday night, there had been a doubt about Festy Ebosele’s fitness, but the 22-year-old remains in the squad.
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