Ireland boost as Whelan back in frame

Euro Championship 2016 qualifier

Glenn Whelan is defying the odds to put himself back in the frame for Friday night’s Euro qualifier in Glasgow.

Whelan was initially left out of Martin O’Neill’s slimmed down squad when it was announced early yesterday but, after training with his club Stoke City, the midfielder — who is making a faster than expected recovery from a leg fracture — was able to fly into Dublin last night to join the rest of his colleagues at their Portmarnock hotel base.