Soccer: Carroll pulls out of Northern Ireland squad

Roy Carroll has become the second player to pull out of Northern Ireland’s friendly against Poland on Wednesday after the Manchester United goalkeeper suffered a back injury.

Carroll was kneed in the back during United’s 2-0 win at Charlton yesterday, which took the champions back to the top of the Premier League.

Initially Carroll, who would have started on the bench in Cyprus on Wednesday, thought he would be fit to travel but he was forced to withdraw late last night.

Northern Irish manager Sammy McIlroy, who had already lost Bournemouth striker Warren Feeney to a hamstring injury, was today trying to call up Oldham’s David Miskelly as a replacement.

McIlroy said: ‘‘I got a call late last night to say that Roy Carroll was out.

‘‘He got a knee in his back and he has not recovered.

’’I’m trying to call up Miskelly and we left messages with him last night.

‘‘He did all right last year with the under-21s and we need some cover for the bench.

‘‘I had thought about bringing in Alan Fettis but York have a six-pointer on Tuesday and I thought it was best to leave him.’’

The squad were assembling in Heathrow this morning before flying out to Cyprus via Athens later today.