Seamus Coleman has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Nations League clash against Ukraine with a groin injury.
But the Ireland captain will be given time to try and shake it off ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Scotland and Tuesday’s away game with Ukraine in Poland.
Coleman played 81 minutes of Saturday’s shock 1-0 defeat in Armenia but appeared to be struggling as he walked around the pitch on his way back to the dugout.
And with his previous hamstring and groin issues, the Everton ace, 33, was always a doubt to play so many games in quick succession.
Ireland boss Stephen Kenny could hand the captain’s armband to either Shane Duffy or John Egan tomorrow night.
Ahead of training at Aviva Stadium today, Kenny said: "Seamus Coleman is ruled out through injury. He has a groin pubis injury so he’s ruled out of game.
"There’s no guarantees he’ll feature in the other two games. We’ll have to see how it settles and make a decision on that later in the week. Hopefully he’ll be involved but its too early to say."
Kenny also revealed that goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu fractured a rib last week and that is why he missed the Armenia game before pulling out of the squad entirely yesterday.
"He just had a minor rib fracture, a very minor rib fracture," said the manager.
Bohemians's James Talbot was called up yesterday as cover for Caoimhin Kelleher and Mark Travers and, as a result, Friday's League of Ireland game between Finn Harps and Bohs has been postponed, with a new date yet to be set.
Quizzed on the amount of changes he could make following Saturday's defeat, Kenny added: "We have had a setback, but it doesn’t mean we'll leave half of our team out because of the setback. We wouldn’t expect wholesale changes."
