Emma Byrne and Colin Healy join Eileen Gleeson's interim staff for Nations League openers

Ireland interim head coach Eileen Gleeson will be joined by Emma Byrne and Colin Healy for the upcoming UEFA Nations League double-header against Northern Ireland and Hungary.

The FAI have confirmed that the two former Republic of Ireland internationals will serve as assistant coaches for the games, while Richie Fitzgibbon will act as goalkeeping coach.

Byrne is Ireland's most-capped international women's player, having represented her country on 134 occasions between 1996 and 2017.

She recently worked as a pundit during RTE's television coverage of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Healy resigned as head coach of Cork City in May of this year, seven months after guiding them to the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division title and promotion to the Premier Division.

He represented Ireland on 13 occasions between 2002 and 2003, and boasts Cork City, Celtic and Sunderland among his former clubs from his playing days.

Fitzgibbon has worked with a number of Ireland's underage teams and holds a UEFA A Goalkeeping Licence.

Gleeson is in interim charge following the departure of Vera Pauw, and she and her staff will join up with the squad on Monday, 18 September ahead of matches against Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on 23 September, and Hungary in Budapest on 26 September.

Follow the Republic of Ireland's Nations League encounters with Northern Ireland and Hungary via our live blogs on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app, or watch live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.