Fit and firing: Parrott good to go as Ireland's World Cup hopefuls come through weekend

GOOD TO GO: Troy Parrott of AZ Alkmaar. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Ireland’s hitman Troy Parrott will be afforded a deserved rest in Monday’s opening training session ahead of the World Cup playoff in Czechia on Thursday night (7.45pm).

Parrott’s inactivity at Abbotstown doesn’t stem from a knock, merely a workload protocol on account of him being the only available member for the playoff of the 25-man squad involved in action on Sunday.

Although he was unable to increase his 31-goal haul for the season in the 3-0 defeat at Groningen, which keeps AZ Alkmaar in sixth place of the Eredivisie table, the good news for the nation was his wellbeing.

Parrott was lively over his 90 minutes on the pitch, seeing a glanced header saved early in the second half at 1-0, and didn’t sustain any injury to jeopardise his involvement in the crunch semi-final.

Liam Scales was the other Irish players on club duty on Sunday, part of the Celtic side who suffered a shock loss at Jim Goodwin’s Dundee United, but he’ll only be available for the second leg of the double-header, Ireland will host either Denmark or North Macedonia on March 31 regardless of Thursday’s outcome. 

It will either be a showdown for a place at the summer World Cup or a dead rubber necessary to fulfil broadcasting commitments.

There appears to be no injury concerns over any player named by Heimir Hallgrímsson in Thursday’s panel.

He has spoken about the preparatory restrictions of just one training session with the full squad. That will take place on Tuesday before they travel to Czechia.

Wednesday’s session will take place at Fortuna Arena match venue, an environment in which managers are reluctant to reveal their hand.

What is a concern is the lack of gametime for some of those considered vital to the chances of qualification for a first World Cup since 2002.

Adam Idah and Bosun Lawal both recovered from hamstring strains to be named as substitutes for Swansea City and Stoke City over the weekend but neither featured.

Ditto captain Séamus Coleman (Everton) and Robbie Brady (Preston North End). Meanwhile, Chiedozie Ogbene (Sheffield United) returned to the fray with a 20-minute run-out.

For Czechia, there was the welcome sight of Pavel Sulc not only returning to the Lyon starting line-up but scoring in the Ligue 1 defeat at home to Monaco. 

Striker Patrik Schick also allayed fears after a recent injury scare by bagging a brace for Bayer Leverkusen in Saturday’s 3-3 Bundesliga draw at Heidenheim.

They are among the foreign based cohort that will join the 13 home-based players who’ve been in the Prague-based camp since Thursday.

Ireland’s 25-man squad – how was their weekend?

Goalkeepers:

Caoimhín Kelleher (Brentford):

Played the full 90 minutes in the scoreless draw at Leeds United, keeping his eight Premier League clean sheet this term.

Mark Travers (Everton):

Unused substitute in Everton’s win over Chelsea.

Josh Keeley (Luton Town):

Maintained his first-choice status in the 1-1 draw against Stockport County.

Defenders:

Séamus Coleman (Everton):

Unused sub against Chelsea.

Jimmy Dunne (QPR):

Captained QPR to a 6-1 drubbing of Portsmouth.

Nathan Collins (Brentford):

Skippered Brentford to a stalemate at Leeds.

Brentford's Nathan Collins (left) applauds the fans during the warm-up ahead of the Premier League match at Elland Road. Pic: Richard Sellers/PA Wire.

Dara O'Shea (Ipswich Town):

Part of the Ipswich defence that drew 1-1 against fellow promotion chasers Millwall.

Jake O'Brien (Everton):

Solid 90-minute showing in the win over Chelsea.

John Egan (Hull City):

Full game – including a booking – in 3-1 victory over relegated Sheffield Wednesday.

James Abankwah (Watford):

Played full game at right-back in 0-0 draw against Leicester.

Liam Scales (Celtic)*:

Suspended for Prague but maintained fitness with full outing.

Robbie Brady (Preston North End):

Paucity of minutes continued as left on bench against Stoke.

Ryan Manning (Southampton):

Accomplished performance at left-back in 2-0 win over Oxford.

Midfielders:

Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion):

Back in the team under caretaker management, his shift helped navigate win at Bristol City.

Bosun Lawal (Stoke City):

Now almost six weeks without football after being unused at Preston.

Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town):

Introduced by Kieran McKenna for the last half an hour against Millwall.

Alan Browne (Middlesbrough):

Another 90 minutes accrued by the Leesider but couldn’t edge them to win at Blackburn.

Jason Knight (Bristol City):

Captain at home to West Brom, he saw out the entire match as a makeshift defender.

Finn Azaz (Southampton):

Withdrawn in the final minute with his contribution cemented in the win over Oxford.

Harvey Vale (QPR):

Newcomer is ablaze with form, adding two assists against Portsmouth to the goal he grabbed last week 

Forwards:

Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar):

No goals for the marksman but a relief to deliver 90 minutes without sustaining injury.

Adam Idah (Swansea City):

Fully recovered from hamstring trouble, minutes are the elusive commodity for a player without any since December.

Johnny Kenny (Bolton Wanderers, on loan from Celtic):

League One has offered gametime and he amassed another 90 in defeat at Port Vale.

Chiedozie Ogbene (Sheffield United, on loan from Ipswich Town):

A victim of the Blades stretching their quota of loanees, he got his second cameo in 10 days in the loss at home to Wrexham.

Sammie Szmodics (Derby County, on loan from Ipswich Town):

Comeback Kid is a regular for his on-loan club, making way during the win over Birmingham City with a minute remaining.

*Suspended for Czechia game