Jonathan Walters and James McCarthy have both been included in the Ireland squad for the upcoming European qualifiers against Andorra and Armenia.
Walters and McCarthy were both omitted from the squad for the recent double header against Slovakia and Russia, although McCarthy was later drafted in from the under-21 squad after a number of midfield withdrawals.
Seamus Coleman also makes a welcome return to the 27-man squad having missed out last time due to injury, but there is no room for the likes of Darron Gibson (injured), Marc Wilson, Paul McShane, Ciaran Clark and the unfortunate victim of a recent Twitter hacking, Keith Treacy.
Leon Best is also ignored despite his recent good run of form for Newcastle as Giovanni Trapattoni sticks with West Brom duo Shane Long and Simon Cox, LA Galaxy’s Robbie Keane, Wolves striker Kevin Doyle and Walters as options in attack.
Ireland take on Andorra in Andorra on 7 October and Armenia in the Aviva Stadium on 11 October in two games that are absolutely crucial to our prospects of qualification for Euro 2012.
After a crazy set of results that saw Ireland escape with a point in the most one-sided 0-0 draw of all time and Armenia shock Slovakia, the Boys in Green are still within a shout of qualifying as top seeds, but a runners-up spot and a place in the play-offs looks a far likelier scenario.
Ireland squad: Shay Given (Aston Villa), Keiren Westwood (Sunderland), David Forde (Millwall), John O’Shea (Sunderland), Kevin Foley (Wolves), Stephen Kelly (Fulham), Stephen Ward (Wolves), Richard Dunne (Aston Villa), Kevin Kilbane (Derby), Sean St Ledger (Leicester), Darren O’Dea (Leeds), Damien Delaney (Ipswich), Glenn Whelan (Stoke), James McCarthy (Wigan), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Keith Andrews (Ipswich) Keith Fahey (Birmingham), Andy Keogh (Leeds), Damien Duff (Fulham), Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow), Stephen Hunt (Wolves), Liam Lawrence (Portsmouth), Robbie Keane (Los Angeles Galaxy), Kevin Doyle (Wolves), Shane Long (West Brom), Simon Cox (West Brom), Jon Walters (Stoke).
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