IRELAND MANAGER STEPHEN Kenny will be encouraged by an injury update on Jamie McGrath issued today by St Mirren.
McGrath was stretchered off during his club’s 2-1 defeat to Rangers on Sunday after sustaining a hip injury.
There were subsequently concerns that the problem would rule him out of Ireland’s double-header of World Cup qualifiers against Portugal and Luxembourg next month.
However, a scan has revealed that the damage suffered by the 25-year-old attacking midfielder isn’t as severe as first feared.
McGrath is set to be sidelined for St Mirren’s upcoming games against Motherwell and Dundee, but it’s hoped that he’ll be ready to return in time for the 6 November clash with St Johnstone.
“He’s had his scan and it seems to have settled down a lot,” St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin said this afternoon.
“It was a bang on the hip and there seems to have been a bit of a bleed in and around the muscles around the hip and that’s what has caused the pain.
“I don’t think it will be a long-term thing. I would like to think that Jamie will be back training the Monday after the Dundee game.”
Ireland are due to play host to Portugal at the Aviva Stadium on 11 November, before making the journey to Luxembourg for the final game of the campaign on 14 November.
McGrath has earned five senior caps since his debut against Andorra in June.
