Injury concerns as Stephen Kenny content to block out noise and prepare for Dutch clash

Stephen Kenny looks set to have to prepare for the final Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands without some key players.

Evan Ferguson, Chiedozie Ogbene, Jamie McGrath and Will Smallbone are all on the doubtful list ahead of the trip to Amsterdam, and the manager appears resigned to being without some of his preferred starting XI.

Ogbene has been the standout campaigner for the manager, while Ferguson is enjoying an excellent season in the top tier of English football, scoring regularly for Brighton. Smallbone has worked his way into contention as a starter, while McGrath, a long-term favourite of the manager, was impressive in his last outing for his country.

"We're just monitoring their situations at the moment and not all of them are straightforward," said Kenny, speaking at today's press conference.

"We reported yesterday and they were all scanned yesterday. Obviously, we have the result of their scans but it's not just about the scans, it's about managing the injuries and so forth and we'll see how that goes over the next few days."

"We won't lose them all, but we might not have them all, that's the way I see it. We will know more over the next couple of days regarding them all. We will have to wait and see,"

Pushed as to who the manager was most concerned about of the quartet on the treatment table, Kenny responded: "It is early. Chiedozie is finding it difficult, and we will have to wait and see in regard to Chiedozie, and also Will Smallbone as well. They are all doubtful, so we have to see how they are.

"[Smallbone] actually has two injuries, a foot injury and took a heavy challenge on his thigh that forced him off at the weekend for Southampton. We don't know but there’s still time."

Ireland’s Euro 2024 hopes are