Harry Arter and Robbie Keane both look certain to miss the Republic of Ireland’s final Euro 2016 warm-up friendly against Belarus in Turner’s Cross on Tuesday night.
The double injury blow arrives just over 24 hours before O’Neill announces his final squad for Euro 2016 and throws confusion over his plans.
Bournemouth midfielder Arter’s display against the Netherlands last Friday earned him the man of the match award and appeared to cement his place in Martin O’Neill’s squad for the tournament in France.
But that position in the final 23 is now in serious doubt as Arter left the training pitch with complaints over his thigh ahead of Tuesday’s game in Cork, and will now undergo a scan.
“[Harry Arter] came off with a thigh problem which he hadn’t had before,” O’Neill said after training in Cork. “He will have a scan on that shortly”.
MON: James McCarthy is feeling a wee bit better. Harry Arter will get a scan on a knock picked up in training. #COYBIG
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) May 30, 2016
Having played no part in Friday’s draw with Holland at the Aviva, Keane was expected to start against Belarus. But he sat out training entirely after picking up a calf strain in training in Saturday morning.
The Ireland manager has until 11pm on Tuesday night to finalise his final squad for the tournament.
He now faces a dilemma about whether or not he gambles on two players proving their fitness in time for the opening game against Sweden in Paris on June 13.
Kevin Doyle will also miss the friendly against Belarus.
The Wexford native, who has 14 goals in 62 games for Ireland, played for his club Colorado Rapids on Saturday night against Philadelphia Union.
He was expected to travel to Cork for the game but has instead remained in Colorado. He is still O’Neill’s standby list for Euro 2016.
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