Skipper Seamus Coleman is back in the Republic of Ireland squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Portugal and Luxembourg after recovering from injury.
Everton defender Coleman, 33, missed October’s 3-0 qualifier victory in Azerbaijan – Ireland boss Stephen Kenny’s first competitive win – and the 4-0 friendly drubbing of World Cup hosts Qatar in Dublin which followed it as a result of a hamstring problem.
The influential full-back has been included in a 26-man party for the games against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday, November 11 and the trip to Luxembourg which follows three days later.
He is joined by midfielders Jayson Molumby and Alan Browne, who were suspended for last month’s game in Baku, while Wigan striker Will Keane, who earned his first senior call-up for that camp, retains his place in the squad.
Ireland currently sit in fourth place in Group A, a point behind Luxembourg – who won 1-0 in Dublin in March to pile the pressure on Kenny.
However, they were desperately unfortunate to lose 2-1 in Portugal in September when Ronaldo scored a last-gasp double to deny them a famous victory.
Squad: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Gavin Bazunu (Portsmouth, on loan from Manchester City), Mark Travers (Bournemouth), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham), Ryan Manning (Swansea), Enda Stevens (Sheffield United), James McClean (Wigan), Shane Duffy (Brighton), John Egan (Sheffield United), Andrew Omobamidele (Norwich), Nathan Collins (Burnley), Conor Hourihane (Sheffield United, on loan from Aston Villa), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Jeff Hendrick (Newcastle), Jason Knight (Derby), Jayson Molumby (West Brom, on loan from Brighton), Alan Browne (Preston), Jamie McGrath (St Mirren), Callum Robinson (West Brom), Troy Parrott (MK Dons, on loan from Tottenham), Adam Idah (Norwich), James Collins (Cardiff), Will Keane (Wigan), Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe).
