If there can be such a thing as an upside for Mick McCarthy in seeing four players succumb to friendly fire on the training pitch — Shane Long having now followed Alan Browne, Mark Travers and Luca Connell out of the squad since preparations for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Denmark and Gibraltar began on the Algarve — it’s that none would have been likely to start in Copenhagen on Friday night.

Luca Connell has told Mick McCarthy that he is committed to playing for Ireland and the manager has further revealed that but for a thigh injury ruling him out, the Liverpool-born Bolton Wanderers midfielder would have been in with a real chance of at least a cameo in the upcoming Euro 2020 qualifier against Gibraltar.

The highly-rated young Bolton Wanderers midfielder had been a surprise call-up and, initially, was expected only to be involved in the training camp in Portugal.

Ultimately, it will be the responsibility of Mick McCarthy and his staff to work out the required balance between caution and adventure when Ireland travel to Denmark in a fortnight’s time.

At Ireland’s training camp in Portugal, Luca Connell is telling us how his unexpected call-up has disrupted his summer holiday plans. Not that he’s complaining, mind.

“It’s crazy, it’s surreal to be honest. Especially meeting Seamus Coleman, you know. Being from Liverpool but supporting Everton and supporting him through everything, it’s brilliant for me.”

As the majority of the Irish squad for next month’s Euro 2020 qualifiers begin work at their training camp in Portugal today, Mick McCarthy says he has no fears that the 17-day-long run-up to the game against Denmark on June 7 will see any of his players fall victim to cabin fever.

Although it appeared initially as if Luca Connell was already in the final squad for the upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Denmark and Dublin, Mick McCarthy has clarified that the player’s retention for those games will probably depend on how the Bolton Wanderers rising star performs in Ireland’s training camp in Portugal.

The call-up will be a boost for Connell after his club, Bolton Wanderers, went into administration following their relegation from the Championship.

The Republic of Ireland Under-19s began their UEFA Under-19 European Championship Elite Round campaign with an outstanding 5-0 win over Romania in Krasnodar, Russia.

Three goals in the last 15 minutes helped England to a 3-1 win over the Republic of Ireland Under-18s at an Invitational Tournament in Spain.