The FAI have confirmed that Matt Doherty and James McClean have tested positive for Covid-19. This comes just one day after they started against Wales. “The rest and the staff and squad tested negative ahead of the flight back to Dublin this morning”, the FAI announced earlier today.

The exclusion of Doherty and McClean only adds to the growing list of Ireland absentees. There’s now an unprecedented number of players unavailable for Wednesday’s fixture and relegation decider against Bulgaria.

Jeff Hendrick and Jayson Molumby are suspended for the match as a result of their bookings on Tuesday. Alan Browne and Callum Robinson previously tested positive for Covid-19, meaning they’ll miss out. Injuries have also ruled a handful of players out including; Enda Stevens, Aaron Connolly, Séamus Coleman, John Egan, Adam Idah and Harry Arter. James McCarthy also withdrew from the squad due to personal issues.

Stephen Kenny will now have to work with an even more depleted squad as he looks to gather his first win as Ireland boss.

Ireland squad against Bulgaria:

Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)

Defenders: Kevin Long (Burnley), Shane Duffy (Celtic, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Cyrus Christie (Nottingham Forest, on loan from Fulham), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers), Ryan Manning (Swansea City).

Midfielders: Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Robbie Brady (Burnley), Jack Byrne (Shamrock Rovers), Jason Knight (Derby County), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Aaron McEneff (Shamrock Rovers), Jack Taylor (Peterborough United).

Attackers: Graham Burke (Shamrock Rovers, on loan from Preston North End), James Collins (Luton Town), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers), Sean Maguire (Preston North End), Troy Parrott (Millwall, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur).

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Stephen Kenny’s Ireland squad has received one positive COVID-19 test result ahead of today’s Nations League game against Wales at the Aviva Stadium, after the latest round of UEFA testing.

A player – who cannot be named at this time – tested positive on Friday after a negative test on Monday but his case is not related in any way to that of the backroom team member who tested positive on Monday last.

Talks with the HSE late last night identified four other players as close contacts of this positive case and they have been stood down from the matchday squad for today’s game against Wales. John Egan, Callum Robinson, Callum O’Dowda and Alan Browne the players ruled out because of being deemed close contacts

In a separate development, the FAI can now reveal that the staff member who tested positive for COVID-19 in Bratislava on Wednesday, may have received a ‘false positive’ result.

Two further tests carried out on the individual on Saturday have confirmed no trace of COVID-19. The HSE and UEFA have been informed of this result. The FAI will now discuss the issue with UEFA.

In light of these developments, the FAI wishes to make it clear that it complied with all UEFA and HSE COVID-19 guidelines concerning the availability of players and the well-being of staff around the Slovakia v Republic of Ireland fixture in Bratislava on Thursday night.

The facts are:-

• Senior FAI staff first contacted the HSE and UEFA when the member of the backroom team returned the positive result from his COVID-19 test, undertaken in Bratislava on Wednesday morning
• This staff member returned a negative result in Ireland on Saturday, October 3
• He was not deemed a close contact of the previously confirmed positive case
• On the basis of this, the staff member was approved to travel to Slovakia by the FAI
• He subsequently returned a second negative result from a test conducted in Dublin on Tuesday
• As per UEFA matchday requirements, the staff member was tested again in Bratislava on Wednesday morning
• As soon as his positive result from a mandatory UEFA test was received on Wednesday night, the staff member went into isolation at the team hotel in Slovakia
• In consultation with the HSE early on Thursday morning, four other members of the travelling Irish party were identified as close contacts of the staff member and immediately went into isolation
• News of the positive test was only revealed after discussions on the make-up of the statement with the parent clubs of the two players involved
• As requested by all parties, the privacy of all five individuals was respected in the subsequent FAI statement
• The HSE and the FAI worked closely together to repatriate all those involved on Friday under strict COVID-19 guidelines
• The FAI thanks the HSE for its co-operation on this matter

Manager Stephen Kenny will review his options for Wednesday’s UEFA Nations League game in Finland after today’s fixture against Wales. The FAI will review all COVID-19 protocols with UEFA and the HSE after the Finland game.

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