Walters in for Ireland as Long and O’Shea settle for bench places

Injury doubts Shane Long and John O’Shea have been left out of the Irish team for tonight.

By Stephen Barry

Injury doubts Shane Long and John O’Shea have been left out of the Irish team that will face Bosnia in tonight’s decisive play-off second leg, although both will be bench options for Martin O’Neill.

However Jon Walters returns to the team after serving his one-game suspension, replacing Stephen Ward in the Irish team.

Ward’s omission means that Robbie Brady will line-up at left-back instead of his previous midfield berth, where he will be faced by the dangerous Edin Visca.

Walters will take an attacking role behind Daryl Murphy.

Bosnia make three changes to their team as they prepare for a game they must score in.

Ognjen Vranjes, Sead Kolasinac and Haris Medunjanin are introduced in the places of Mensur Mujdza, Toni Sunjic and Vedad Ibisevic.

Rep of Ireland: Randolph, Coleman, Keogh, Clark, Brady, Hendrick, Whelan, McCarthy, Hoolahan, Murphy, Walters.

Subs: Forde, Wilson, O’Shea, McGeady, Long, Keane, McClean, Christie, Ward, Gibson, Arter, Henderson.

Bosnia-Herzegovina: Begovic, Vranjes, Zukanovic, Spahic, Kolasinac, Medunjanin, Cocalic, Visca, Pjanic, Lulic, Dzeko.

Subs: Sehic, Bicakcic, Besic, Ibisevic, Hodzic, Susic, Sunjic, Djuric, Hajrovic, Hadzic, Salihovic, Buric.

Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Holland).

READ NEXT:

Read More: