Sean Maguire: I'll be available for Denmark

By Liam Mackey

Sean Maguire has allayed fears that the hamstring problem he incurred at the weekend could potentially keep him out of contention for Ireland's World Cup play-off against Denmark.

The Preston striker was forced out of Saturday's 2-2 draw with Fulham just five minutes after he had scored, prompting manager Alex Neil to remark after the game that he was hoping the injury was not serious "because he's a big player for us".

But today the former Cork City man played down concerns about the extent of the problem.

“It's fine,” he said. ”It was nothing major at all, just precautionary really. I just felt a little twinge on Saturday and I didn't want to make it any worse.”

Maguire reckons himself to be “50-50” for Preston's game against Wolves this Saturday but points out that “it's up to the gaffer” to make the final call. “We'll see how training goes,” he added.

And the Kilkenny man, who made his senior international debut when coming off the bench in the 2-0 victory over Moldova at the Aviva, has “no doubts” that he'll be fully over the problem well before Ireland play Denmark.

“I'll be available for selection,” he said.

Yesterday evening, Maguire and fellow ex-Cork City colleague Kevin O'Connor tuned in from Preston to watch live coverage of their former club claiming the 2017 League of Ireland title with a draw against Derry City at Turner's Cross and, in Friday's Irish Examiner, the man who contributed 20 goals to the cause will explain what the club and that achievement mean to him.

Get the 16-page Cork City title special in Friday's Irish Examiner.