Stephen Kenny: Caoimhin Kelleher and James McClean in battle to be fit for World Cup qualifiers

Four goalkeepers have been named as Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher, who is in line to make his international debut, is an injury doubt

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has named a 29-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Luxembourg. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Stephen Kenny has sounded an optimistic note about Aaron Connolly’s chances of featuring in the Republic of Ireland’s opening World Cup qualifier away to Serbia next Wednesday.

However, the Ireland manager was more circumspect about the likelihood of Caoimhin Kelleher and James McClean making it in time to feature against the Eastern Europeans in Belgrade.

Connolly has been suffering with a rib problem at Brighton & Hove Albion, Kelleher has been sidelined at Liverpool with an abdominal issue while McClean has been dealing with a foot injury at Stoke City.

The squad, already minus key players, meets on Sunday in Manchester when all three will be assessed but the Ireland manager said that he is hopeful Connolly “will be okay” having already resumed training with the Premier League club.

Ireland follow up that Serbia game with a home qualifier against Luxembourg three days later before rounding off this international window with a friendly against 2022 hosts Qatar in Hungary.

Kenny confirmed that Troy Parrott, who he has named in an initial squad for the first time and is currently out on loan at Ipswich Town in League One from Tottenham Hotspur, is unlikely to feature against the Serbs.

“It’s fair to say that Troy is unlikely to start against Serbia. He has found goals hard to come by since playing in the Championship and League One but his workrate is exceptional. He gives everything to the team all the time. We have seen Troy with our own eyes, from 15 up to the 21s.

“He got five goals for me in four games against good teams. Nobody gives you anything in life, you have to earn it. You don’t always hit the ground running. Maybe (Erling) Haaland at Dortmund but not too many others. He is finding his way and he has a good attitude.” Experience at this level is not something Shane Duffy is lacking but the Derryman is low on form and, it must be imagined, confidence given a dream loan move from Brighton to Celtic has soured so badly at Parkhead.

Kenny acknowledged the fact that Duffy has had a hard time of it but the central defender has played every minute of every Ireland game under the current manager’s watch and the latter doesn’t seem poised to ditch him as it stands.

“Nobody is an automatic starter and there isn’t really anyone in the squad who is,” Kenny said if Duffy was still guaranteed his place. “I have no problem leaving anyone out but what I will say about Shane Duffy is we know he has had a tough year at Celtic.

“He has never let Ireland down, he has played when he was injured, played three games in six days. We shouldn’t forget that just because he is having a tough time. He is capable of coming back, he is in the frame for Celtic at the weekend, he may not be selected, but he is in ours.” Kenny, when asked about the goalkeeping issue now that Darren Randolph is injured and Kelleher a doubt, also revealed that Kieran Westwood was only 60% fit and therefore unavailable for what would have been a dramatic recall.

He was clearly most comfortable when talking about players and even opponents Serbia and quick to brush aside questions on the likes of the Wembley video controversy and Damien Duff’s shock exit from the management team.” Duff, he said, would always be an Ireland legend and he had stood himself down as an assistant coach for “private reasons”.

Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Gavin Bazunu (Rochdale, on loan from Manchester City), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth), Kieran O'Hara (Burton Albion).

Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Shane Duffy (Celtic, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), Enda Stevens (Sheffield United), Kevin Long (Burnley), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Ryan Manning (Swansea City), Cyrus Christie (Nottingham Forest).

Midfielders: Conor Hourihane (Swansea City, on loan from Aston Villa), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Jeff Hendrick (Newcastle United), Jayson Molumby (Preston North End, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), Jason Knight (Derby County), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht). Robbie Brady (Burnley), James McClean (Stoke City), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), Callum O'Dowda (Bristol City).

Strikers: Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion), Aaron Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion), Shane Long (AFC Bournemouth, on loan from Southampton), James Collins (Luton Town), Troy Parrott (Ipswich Town, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur).