Ireland to miss Czech clash following death of grandmother

STEPHEN IRELAND has been released from international duty following the death of his grandmother and will not be available for Ireland’s European Championship qualifier against the Czech Republic on Wednesday.

The midfielder has flown home to Cork to be with his family, having learned after Saturday night’s match in Slovakia – in which he scored Ireland’s first goal – that his grandmother, Patricia Tallon, had died suddenly.

Said Irish manager Steve Staunton: “He was very close to her and so we made arrangements overnight to get him home as quickly as possible.