SHANE Long has been ruled out of the first-leg of Ireland’s 2016 European Championships qualifying play-off tie with Bosnia on Friday.
The Southampton striker, who scored one of the most famous goals in Ireland’s history in the 1-0 win over Germany last month, will not travel to Zenica with Martin O’Neill’s squad.
He will remain with his club for further treatment on his ankle injury but may yet be able to take part in the second-leg in Dublin on Monday night.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Stephen Henderson has been drafted into the squad as a replacement for Keiren Westwood, who has returned to Sheffield Wednesday after a pre-existing ankle injury flared up in training on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, Brentford’s Alan Judge arrived at the team’s Dublin base on Wednesday having recovered from a hamstring injury.
