Relief for Ireland as O’Shea injury fears allayed

Sunderland have dismissed fears that John O’Shea could miss Euro 2012 by giving him the all-clear to join up with the Irish squad next week.

The defender limped out of Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United and manager Martin O’Neill said just after the match that his first thought was that the player could be a doubt for the Euros.

“John didn’t feel comfortable because he was starting to feel his injury,” said the Black Cats boss. “He didn’t feel confident at all about moving on it.”

Of particular concern at that point was that O’Shea might have suffered a recurrence of the calf injury which had kept him sidelined for a period earlier in the season but the problem this time was with his ankle and that following a scan, the player had been given the all-clear to travel to Dublin.

“John suffered a knock to his ankle in training prior to the recent Fulham game which he aggravated slightly in Sunday’s game against Manchester United,’’ a spokesperson said.

“He was taken off as a precaution and, following positive results from a scan on Sunday night, he will meet up with the Republic of Ireland squad as scheduled next week.”

Elsewhere, Championship players carrying knocks and those, like James McClean, whom Giovanni Trapattoni feels need extra days of preparation, will arrive in Ireland’s Portmarnock base this Thursday.

But the majority of the squad, including O’Shea, are not expected in until Sunday.