Caoimhín Kelleher in line for Ireland debut as Darren Randolph ruled out for Serbia

Randolph had played all eight games of Kenny’s reign but suffered an injury recurrence during West Ham United’s Premier League game against Manchester City

Liverpool's Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher: Could be days away from an international debut 

Ireland face a goalkeeping crisis for their World Cup qualification opener in Serbia on Wednesday week, with Stephen Kenny relying on Caoimhín Kelleher regaining fitness to make his debut.

Darren Randolph has played all eight games of Kenny’s reign but is out of the upcoming international window after suffering an injury recurrence during West Ham United’s Premier League game against Manchester City a fortnight ago.

Instead of the 33-year-old playing his 40th consecutive competitive match, a run stretching back to October 2015, he will be replaced by an international rookie in either Kelleher or Gavin Bazunu.

Kelleher is also battling his own injury problems, with Liverpool circumspect on his full return to action. Should the Cork native prove his fitness over the next week, the 22-year-old will be thrown in at the Red Star Stadium in Belgrade for his debut against the group’s second seeds.

“Darren won’t be fit to be selected for the March window,” said Kenny in a virtual Q&A with Ireland supporters held tonight (Thursday).

“I’ve been speaking to him over the last few days and West Ham have shut him down at the moment, in that he played recently, starting the game really well, but the defenders had to take the kick-outs in the second half.

“That’s very unfortunate because he’s had a kicking issue on and off for a while.

“Between a thigh injury and initially his hip, it’s caused him a lot of anguish.

“He’s just unfortunate to have that period of injury, not been quite able to address it. He came back and had greater problems with it.

“Caoimhín is injured at the moment as well. He has a slight abdominal tear, so we’re just hoping he can be okay.

“He’s due back training at the weekend of next week. Fingers crossed, he comes through okay because he’s got great potential. He was first class in all five games he played for Liverpool and I had him for 10 of my U21 games.” Should Kelleher be also unavailable, then teenager Gavin Bazunu appears to be next in line for a shock debut.

“We really like Gavin Bazunu,” stressed Kenny. “He’s very young but has been on loan at Rochdale from Manchester City and is having a really good season.

“Our new goalkeeping coach Dean Kiely is monitoring all of our goalkeepers, with performance analyst Ger Dunne getting clips of them too.” Despite Kenny yet to record a win in his tenure, he won’t be compromising his principles around style against a Serbian side buoyed with the arrival of Dragan Stojkovic.

Neither is it likely he’ll be introducing wing-backs, albeit he did vow to accommodate right-backs Matt Doherty and Seamus Coleman in the same team when appropriate. Ireland host Luxembourg for their second qualifier on March 27 before meeting Qatar in a friendly three days later.

“Why does it have to be an either or?” stressed Kenny when asked by a fan about ditching “sexy football” in pursuit of three points.

“I don’t accept that it’s not in our DNA; that we have to play a more direct style of football.

“All of these young players, growing up between U15s to U21s, played an attractive style of football. Why would you abandon that when it gets to the senior team?

“They’re all good technical players. The senior team is up a level again, the challenge is greater but it doesn’t have to be an either or question.

“We can win playing in a way we desire. That has to be our ambition.” Kenny threw cold water on the possibility of David McGoldrick making a swift reverse from his decision to retire.

“I met David at a recent Sheffield United match and he said his social media account was hacked six months ago. He only re-activated it and it went back to having his Irish jersey on it. He just wasn’t in a position to commit to coming back for Ireland.”