Patient Martin O’Neill prepared to play waiting game for Shane Long

Martin O’Neill is prepared to give Shane Long every chance to prove his fitness for the European Championship play-off against Bosnia, although the Ireland manager concedes that, if the Southampton striker is to successfully shake off the effects of an ankle injury, it might only be in time for the second leg in Dublin next Monday.

Long saw a specialist in England yesterday and has had an injection to treat the problem, but O’Neill is encouraged by the fact that the player himself believes he can still beat the deadline.

“The big positive thing about this is that Shane has not ruled himself out,” said the manager after the Irish squad’s first training session of the week, at a wet and windy Abbotstown.