Givens' options reduced as Butler forced to withdraw

THOMAS BUTLER has been forced to pull out of the Republic of Ireland U-21 squad for their back-to-back European Championship qualifiers in Georgia and Albania.

The Sunderland midfielder one of only two players left in the squad with a senior cap to his name suffered a torn calf muscle in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at West Ham and did not travel with Don Givens' squad which left Dublin yesterday.

"It is a blow," admitted U-21 coach Givens.