BRENTFORD’S JOHN EGAN and Reading’s Liam Kelly are the new faces in the 39-man provisional squad named today by Ireland manager Martin O’Neill for the upcoming games against Wales and Iceland.
O’Neill has unveiled his squad ahead of the crunch World Cup clash with Wales at the Aviva Stadium on Friday 24 March, followed by the international friendly four days later.
The Ireland boss has called up Egan and Kelly, while Preston duo Andy Boyle and Daryl Horgan – both drafted in at the end of last year after their exploits for Dundalk – are also included.
Brighton defender Shane Duffy and Reading midfielder Stephen Quinn are both injured, while Burnley’s Robbie Brady is suspended for the Wales game after picking up a second yellow card of the campaign in the win over Austria.
The squad is set to be cut down after this weekend.
I’ve watched both of them,” O’Neill said of the new additions. “I know John from my days at Sunderland, he was only a kid then. He’s got a great attitude to the game.
“Young Kelly I don’t know personally but he’s playing pretty regularly for Reading. He’s doing fine and looks as if he’s got decent control.
“It’s a rather large squad that I’m going to pare down at some stage but it’s a bit of boost for players who think they are doing alright at club level.”
The squad in full is:
Goalkeepers: Colin Doyle (Bradford City), Rob Elliot (Newcastle United), Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday)
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Cyrus Christie, Richard Keogh, Alex Pearce (Derby County), Paul McShane (Reading), Andy Boyle (Preston North End), John O’Shea (Sunderland), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), John Egan (Brentford), Stephen Ward (Burnley), Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Midfielders: Aiden McGeady, Daryl Horgan (Preston North End), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), James McCarthy (Everton), Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady (Burnley), David Meyler (Hull City), Liam Kelly (Reading), Darron Gibson (Sunderland), Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Eunan O’Kane (Leeds United), Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City), Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City), Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City), Jonathan Hayes (Aberdeen), James McClean (West Bromwich Albion)
Forwards: Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids), Shane Long (Southampton), David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town), Daryl Murphy (Newcastle United), Adam Rooney (Aberdeen), Jonathan Walters (Stoke City).
- Additional reporting by Ben Blake
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