Skipper John Carroll to miss key EuroBasket qualifiers

Ireland men's captain John Carroll will miss this week’s FIBA EuroBasket 2025 pre-qualifiers against Austria and Switzerland due to a knee injury.

Carroll picked up the injury at training on Saturday and subsequent scans revealed he has a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Sean Flood will now captain the team for Thursday’s game against Austria in Salzburg and Sunday’s contest with Switzerland at the National Basketball Arena.

Centre James Gormley, who plays with Spanish club Baloncestro Aguimes, replaces Carroll in the 12-man squad. Gormley has played in three of Ireland’s four EuroBasket 2025 pre-qualifiers so far.

Speaking about his injury set-back, Carroll said: "I am very disappointed to have sustained this injury for the second time in my career. There is no good time for such a serious injury, but it particularly stings knowing that I will not captain and be a part of the most talented Irish squad selected in quite some time.

"I leave my captaincy in the capable hands of Sean Flood and I am excited to see what this team can achieve in the next two games and in the near future."

Ireland are third in Group A, trailing Austria by a point. The group winners and the two best second-placed finishers from three groups will advance to round 2 of the qualifiers, which begin in August, with another two-game matchday window in November.