Jon Walters set to miss battle with Belgium

It looks increasingly likely that Ireland will have to do without Jon Walters when they take on Belgium in their Group E game in Bordeaux on Saturday.

Walters’ Achilles problem flared up again during Monday’s 1-1 draw with Sweden and, yesterday, manager Martin O’Neill said that their “main injury concern” was “pretty doubtful for the second game”.

On Monday night, the Irish coaching staff and players got back to their Versailles base from the Stade de France in time to watch the second half of Italy’s 2-0 defeat of Belgium, and yesterday O’Neill was planning to review the game “in depth” at the team hotel.