STEPHEN KENNY HAS handed Connor Ronan and Mark Sykes their first senior Ireland call-ups for the friendly double-header against Belgium and Lithuania.
Birmingham City striker Scott Hogan comes back into the squad for the first time since 2019.
But there is no place in the 25-man panel for the in-form Michael Obafemi despite six goals in his last nine Championship games for Swansea City.
A fit-again Dara O’Shea is included as is Blackburn captain Darragh Lenihan who has continued to turn in eye-catching performances at the heart of Rovers’ promotion push.
Meanwhile, Roberto Martinez has stuck to his plan of naming an experimental Belgium squad containing no players with 50 caps or more.
Republic of Ireland Squad
Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Gavin Bazunu (Portsmouth, on loan from Manchester City), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Ryan Manning (Swansea City), James McClean (Wigan Athletic), Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion), John Egan (Sheffield United), Nathan Collins (Burnley), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers).
Midfielders: Conor Hourihane (Sheffield United, on loan from Aston Villa), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Jeff Hendrick (QPR, on loan from Newcastle United), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Jason Knight (Derby County), Mark Sykes (Oxford United).
Forwards: Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion), Troy Parrott (MK Dons, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Will Keane (Wigan Athletic), Scott Hogan (Birmingham City), Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United), Connor Ronan (St. Mirren, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Belgium squad
Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels, Thomas Kaminski, Simon Mignolet, Matz Sels.
Defenders: Sebastiaan Bornauw, Dedryck Boyata, Jason Denayer, Wout Faes, Arthur Theate, Siebe Van der Heyden.
Wingbacks: Thomas Foket, Thorgan Hazard, Alexis Saelemaekers.
Midfielders: Leander Dendoncker, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Orel Mangala, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken.
Forwards: Michy Batshuayi, Christian Benteke, Charles De Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku, Adnan Januzaj, Divock Origi, Leandro Trossard, Yari Verschaeren, Dante Vanzeir.
Ireland internationals Devin Toner and Lindsay Peat were our guests for The Front Row’s special live event, in partnership with Guinness, this week. The panel chats through Ireland’s championship chances ahead of the final round of Guinness Six Nations matches, and members of the Emerald Warriors – Ireland’s first LGBT+ inclusive rugby team – also join us to talk about breaking down barriers in rugby. Click here to subscribe or listen below:
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