Dara O'Shea ruled out for up to six months with fractured ankle

Dara O'Shea is greeted by Ireland teammate  James Collins as he is assisted from the pitch by team doctor Alan Byrne, left, and chartered physiotherapist Kevin Mulholland at the Estádio Algarve in Faro, Portugal. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Ireland have been dealt a blow after Dara O'Shea was confirmed to have sustained a fractured ankle, ruling him out for the remainder of the World Cup qualifiers.

The 22-year-old defender, who had started all 10 games under Stephen Kenny since his debut against Finland, has also sustained ligament damage and will be out for four to six months.