Shanade Hopcroft called up to Carla Ward's Ireland squad for World Cup play-off bid

The Girls in Green take on Kazakhstan over two legs.

Ireland head coach Carla Ward. Pic: INPHO/Nick Elliott

Crystal Palace midfielder Shanade Hopcroft is a surprise inclusion in Carla Ward's Ireland squad for the World Cup play-off semi-final against Kazakhstan.

The 28-year-old is eligible through her grandmother, who hails from Sligo.

The Girls in Green will line out in Astana on October 9, before the return leg in Cork the following Tuesday. 

Should they progress, they'll take on either Poland or Belgium in a play-off final.

Ruesha Littlejohn -- currently without a club -- is ommitted from the squad for the two-legged fixture.

Chelsea star and Ireland captain Katie McCabe and Marissa Sheva are suspended for the first leg. 

Denise O'Sullivan will sit out the Astana game, due to load management, but is expected to feature in front of her hometown crowd at Páirc Ui Chaoimh, though fellow Cork star Saoirse Noonan misses out through injury, as does Tara O'Hanlon.

More to follow 

Republic of Ireland squad 

Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (Southampton), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic) 

Defenders: Aoife Mannion (Newcastle United), Heather Payne (Leicester City), Anna Patten (Aston Villa), Caitlin Hayes (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jessie Stapleton (Leicester City), Megan Connolly (Lazio), Hayley Nolan (Crystal Palace), Chloe Mustaki (Nottingham Forest), Katie McCabe (Chelsea) 

Midfielders: Denise O'Sullivan (Gotham FC), Marissa Sheva (Sunderland), Aoibheann Clancy (Watford), Jamie Finn (Burnley), Lucy Quinn (Sheffield United), Tyler Toland (Burnley), Jess Ziu (Leicester City), Shanade Hopcroft (Crystal Palace) 

Forwards: Kyra Carusa (HB Køge), Amber Barrett (Strasbourg), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Emily Murphy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Leanne Kiernan (Newcastle United)