MARTIN O’NEILL HAS confirmed that Richard Dunne has withdrawn from the Ireland squad ahead of the upcoming friendly with Serbia.
O’Neill, speaking at an FAI press briefing this afternoon, revealed the QPR defender is not suffering from any particular injury or knock but is being “rested” by his club. The Ireland boss insisted Dunne will be considered for further friendly ties later in the year.
O’Neill has spoken to the Dubliner about where he sees him in terms of an international comeback and advised him ‘to leave this game and see the season through’. The Northern Irishman is eager to get Dunne on Ireland’s summer tour and involved in the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.
“If the qualifying campaign [started] in the morning, because of the amount of games he has played and the form he has shown for Ireland over quite a number of matches, you would certainly have to give [his selection] consideration,” said O’Neill.
The loss of Dunne comes on the back of withdrawals by Dunne’s QPR teammate Kevin Doyle, goalkeeper Rob Elliot and midfielder Andy Reid.
