Ben Blake reports from Bosnia-Herzegovina
IRELAND’S TEAM FOR tonight’s Euro 2016 play-off in Zenica has just been named.
The Boys in Green face Bosnia-Herzegovina in the first of a two-legged tie at the Bilino Polje Stadium this evening (7.45pm Irish time) before the return leg in Dublin on Monday.
With several players missing through suspension and injury, West Ham’s Darren Randolph remains in goal, while Martin O’Neill has gone for a back four of Seamus Coleman, Richard Keogh, Ciaran Clark and Stephen Ward.
In midfield, Glenn Whelan and James McCarthy are likely to sit with Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick tasked with helping out in both defence and attack.
Norwich playmaker Wes Hoolahan is the team’s most creative outlet and will need to get forward to supply Daryl Murphy of Ipswich Town, who has been picked as a lone striker ahead of Robbie Keane.
Shay Given, John O’Shea, Jon Walters, Shane Long, Keiren Westwood, Rob Elliot, Paul McShane are all unavailable.
IRELAND: Randolph, Coleman, Clark, Keogh, Ward, Whelan, McCarthy, Hendrick, Brady, Hoolohan, Murphy.
BOSNIA: Begović, Spahić, Šunjić, Lulić, Zukanovic, Cocalić, Pjanić, Mujdža, Višća, Ibišević, Džeko (c).
