May court date gives Stokes green light to play

Ireland manager Martin O’Neill will have Anthony Stokes available for the Euro 2016 qualification double-header against Gibraltar and Germany after the Celtic striker appeared in a Dublin court yesterday.

The 26-year-old is facing charges of assault on Elvis impersonator Anthony Bradley at a Dublin nightclub in June 2013.

Following a request to set a trial date from Lorcan Staines BL, defending Stokes, Judge Martin Nolan confirmed the player would be back in court on May 11, 2015 for the proceedings.

Eight-times capped Stokes was included at the weekend in O’Neill’s squad for the pair of qualifiers that begin on Saturday with the visit of minnows Gibraltar.

Although the former Sunderland forward was cut from the squad for the campaign opener against Georgia last month, and has endured a poor season at club level, he’s in contention to feature in what will likely represent a side packed with fringe players.

O’Neill and his assistant Roy Keane will host their first training session for the squad today in Malahide.

Meanwhile, Ireland’s management team are not giving up hope of Seamus Coleman recovering from injury in time for the meeting with world champions Germany in Gelsenkirchen this day next week.

Although Everton boss Roberto Martinez firmly appeared to rule Coleman out of both games by confirming the full-back failed a fitness test ahead of Sunday’s game at Manchester United, the FAI are keeping an open mind on the player’s situation.

Coleman’s recent absence from the Toffees squad was firstly down to a head injury before a soft tissue problem in his hamstring emerged.

It’s understood the Donegal man will be given every opportunity to prove his fitness for Ireland’s toughest assignment of the campaign.

Definitely unavailable to O’Neill for the double-header is Coleman’s Goodison Park team-mate James McCarthy.

The midfielder’s thigh strain explained his absence from the reduced squad named by O’Neill and, while that was only for the Gibraltar game, the Glaswegian has no hope of making the Germany encounter either. Veteran keeper Shay Given misses out too, having stayed behind at Aston Villa for treatment on an ongoing hip complaint.