James McCarthy unlikely to be back in time for Ireland's Nations League campaign

Martin O’Neill appears resigned to having to plan for Ireland’s inaugural Nations League campaign without James McCarthy.

Ireland will resume competitive action in that competition when they play Wales at the Aviva in September, followed by Denmark away and the Welsh in Dublin in October, before concluding at home to the Danes in November.

Asked about the prospects of the Everton midfielder — who suffered a dreadful double-leg break in January — recovering in time for the September kick off, O’Neill said yesterday: “I can’t imagine him being fit for those games but he’s doing fine.”