McGrath, Lenihan and Ferguson in Irish squad for crunch games
Huge challenges face the Boys in Green
Meath players Jamie McGrath, Darragh Lenihan, and Evan Ferguson have been included in the Irish squad for forthcoming vital UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying games against France and the Netherlands.
The squad, announced today by Stephen Kenny, also includes Shane Duffy and Aaron Connolly who are back in the fold.
McGrath recently transferred to Aberdeen for what is his third stint in Scottish football after spells with St Mirren and Dundee Utd.
The Athboy man, who gained his first cap against Andorra in the summer 2021, found himself out of the Irish squad for a time but he is now firmly back in Stephen Kenny's thinking.
McGrath has won a sizeable collection of caps to-date and could easily had to his haul in the upcoming games.
Lenihan's Middlesbrough have not made the best of starts to the new season in the Championship (they lost three games and drew one) but they did record a 3-1 win over Bolton on Tuesday night in the EFL League Cup.
Kenny obviously feels Lenihan's form is worthy of further inclusion and he could add to his four caps in the upcoming games. Lenihan was the first Meath player to be capped at senior level in 2018 when he played against the USA in a friendly.
While there might be some doubts about whether McGrath and Lenihan will start in the upcoming matches, Ferguson is certain to get the green light for each game so long as he is fit.
Ireland will report to camp on Sunday 3rd September ahead of a busy week of action with the squad set to travel to Paris to take on France at the Parc des Princes on Thursday 7th September. The squad will then return home to a sold-out Aviva Stadium for the Netherlands fixture on Sunday 10th September.
Defender Duffy comes back into the squad for the first time since September 2022 to bolster Stephen Kenny's centre-back options. The 31 year-old, who has 55 caps and seven goals for Ireland, joined Norwich City in the summer and has enjoyed a positive early start to the season with the Canaries.
Striker Connolly receives his first call-up to the senior squad since October 2021 after his impressive early season form for Hull City, where he has scored three goals, as Luton Town's Chiedozie Ogbene returns to the squad after missing the summer internationals through injury.
Festy Ebosele receives his first senior call-up since June 2022 after impressing for Udinese in the Italian Serie A whilst Southampton's Ryan Manning, Stoke City's Enda Stevens and Preston North End's Will Keane also come back into the squad.
Defender Doherty is suspended for the match against France following his two-game suspension for the red card against Greece in June but will return for the Netherlands fixture and will report for international duty on Sunday.
Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (Stoke City, on loan from AFC Bournemouth).
Defenders: Matt Doherty* (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Festy Ebosele (Udinese), Enda Stevens (Stoke City), Ryan Manning (Southampton), James McClean (Wrexham), Shane Duffy (Norwich City), John Egan (Sheffield United), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Dara O'Shea (Burnley), Darragh Lenihan (Middlesbrough)
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Jeff Hendrick (Newcastle United), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Jamie McGrath (Aberdeen).
Forwards: Adam Idah (Norwich City), Will Keane (Preston North End), Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Aaron Connolly (Hull City), Chiedozie Ogbene (Luton Town).
*Suspended for the France fixture
UEFA EURO 2024 Qualifying - Fixtures
07/09 - France v Republic of Ireland, Parc des Princes, 7.45pm (8.45pm local time)
10/09 - Republic of Ireland v Netherlands, Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm.