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O'Neill is expecting two "difficult" games next month. Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Road to France

Martin O'Neill names 40-man Ireland squad for decisive Euro 2016 qualifiers

The Boys in Green face a make-or-break double-header against Germany (8 Oct) and Poland (11 Oct).

Updated at 16.13

MARTIN O’NEILL HAS named a provisional 40-man squad for the upcoming crucial Euro 2016 qualifiers against Poland and Germany.

Everton’s Seamus Coleman is included despite concerns after the defender picked up a recent injury in the club’s win over Chelsea.

In addition, Blackburn’s Shane Duffy makes the cut, while the uncapped trio of Eunan O’Kane, Adam Rooney and Alan Judge also feature.

Everton’s Darron Gibson also returns to the panel after missing the last round of matches through injury.

Speaking at today’s press conference in FAI HQ, Ireland manager O’Neill said: “After collecting six points from our last two qualifying games, we want to keep the momentum going and continue to push towards sealing qualification from what has proved to be a very difficult group.”

On Shane Duffy, who returns to the squad after a prolonged period out, O’Neill said: “We seem to have quite a number of centre-halves but I’ve been able to see him twice in quick succession, on Sunday and last night, and he’s doing fine.”

The Irish boss added that there were “a couple of problems” regarding Coleman, explaining:

“Seamus Coleman is a day-by-day affair as much as anything else. He came off in the Everton game. We’ll see how it goes.

“We do have a couple of weeks, of course, and lots of things can happen in that time.”

The Irish side are preparing for their final two Euro 2016 group qualifiers at home to Germany (8 October) and away against Poland (11 October).

Ireland squad:

David Forde (Millwall)
Shay Given (Stoke City)
Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday)
Darren Randolph (West Ham United)
Rob Elliot (Newcastle United)
Richard Keogh (Derby County)
Marc Wilson (Stoke City)
Seamus Coleman (Everton)
Cyrus Christie (Derby County)
John O’Shea (Sunderland)
Alex Pearce (Derby County)
Shane Duffy (Blackburn Rovers)
Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa)
Paul McShane (Reading)
Stephen Ward (Burnley)
Greg Cunningham (Preston North End)
Robbie Brady (Norwich City)
James McCarthy (Everton)
Jeff Hendrick (Derby County)
Darron Gibson (Everton)
Harry Arter (Bournemouth)
Eunan O’Kane (Bournemouth)
Glenn Whelan (Stoke City)
Paul Green (Rotherham United)
Aiden McGeady (Everton)
James McClean (West Bromwich Albion)
Alan Judge (Brentford)
Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City)
Stephen Quinn (Reading)
David Meyler (Hull City)
Jonathan Walters (Stoke City)
Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City)
Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
Shane Long (Southampton)
Daryl Murphy (Ipswich Town)
Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids)
Anthony Stokes (Celtic FC)
David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town)
Adam Rooney (Aberdeen)
Simon Cox (Reading)

Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy

Positive news from Everton ahead of Martin O’Neill’s squad announcement>

This Shane Duffy goal for Blackburn suggests that he’ll fit perfectly into the Irish team>

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