Martin O’Neill has been handed a double injury blow ahead of Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against Austria after defenders John O’Shea and Stephen Ward both went off injured in their team's Premier League games.
O'Shea limped out of Sunderland’s 4-1 loss to Arsenal while Ward went off with what initially appeared to be a hamstring injury just before half-time in Burnley's clash with Manchester United.
Midfielder James McCarthy and forward Shane Long are already both concerns after suffering hamstring injuries on club duty for Everton and Southampton respectively.
And now O’Shea, who was making his 350th Premier League appearance, may be added to the list after he was withdrawn just before half-time.
Ireland face Austria in Vienna on 12 November in Group D.
The ex-Manchester United player, 35, did not start either of the wins over Georgia and Moldova at the start of the month with Shane Duffy and Ciaran Clark preferred in central defence, but the potential loss of the experienced centre-back would be another headache that O'Neill could do without.
The Republic of Ireland squad to take on Austria will be named on Wednesday.
