Stephen Kenny has named his starting team for Ireland's monumental assignment against France in Paris on Thursday night.
Ireland were hit with two blows ahead of kick-off, with Evan Ferguson ruled out through injury earlier this week and Andrew Omobamidele out of the matchday squad.
There are major surprises at the back, as Dara O'Shea misses out with Shane Duffy starting on his return to the Ireland squad. Duffy is joined by captain John Egan and Nathan Collins in the back three.
Enda Stevens is another surprise inclusion at left wing-back, while it is unclear as yet whether Jason Knight or Alan Browne will fill in at RWB in the absence of Matt Doherty (suspension) and Séamus Coleman (injury).
Elsewhere, Josh Cullen and Jayson Molumby are named in midfield, while Chiedozie Ogbene and Adam Idah are named as the side's two most attacking players - though it is unclear whether Kenny will play in a 5-3-2 or in a 5-4-1, as he did in the closing stages of the home game against France.
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Ireland team named for France qualifier in Paris
Here is the Ireland team for Thursday night's game.
𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗫𝗜 | France v Ireland
Ogbene, Duffy, Stevens, Browne & Knight all come into the starting line-up for tonight's @EURO2024 qualifier at the Parc des Princes 💪
Kick-off at 7.45pm (8.45pm local) with 1700+ Ireland fans in the stadium 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/wRSK06va9f— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) September 7, 2023
2022 World Cup runners-up France on home soil pose the biggest test of Kenny's reign yet, with Ireland scrapping to keep themselves in any form of contention for an automatic qualification spot for EURO 2024.
Their starting XI includes Mike Maignan in goal, whose last gasp save from Nathan Collins stopped Ireland from claiming a draw in March's game in Dublin. The front three of Kylian Mbappé, Olivier Giroud, and Ousmane Dembélé is likely to strike fear into the hearts of Irish fans, especially with Antoine Griezmann sitting in behind.
𝙇𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙤' 𝙙𝙚𝙨 𝘽𝙡𝙚𝙪𝙨 pour ce match de rentrée face à la République d'Irlande 🇮🇪⚔️#FRAIRL | #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/rWIWXnUHLC
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) September 7, 2023
Defeat to France in the return leg in Dublin earlier this year was no reason for embarrassment, with Ireland coming within inches of claiming a famous point after a battling display at the Aviva Stadium.
A dire performance in Athens against Greece in June, however, was serious cause for concern, and even a 3-0 win over minnows Gibraltar three days later has not improved the optimism around Ireland's chances of qualifying for next summer's European Championships in Germany.
It will be a tall order but if Ireland can take any chunk of points from this week's double header against France tonight and the Netherlands on Sunday, it would go some way to improving their chances of appearing at those EUROs.
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