Seani Maguire will be unavailable for both of Ireland's World Cup playoff games against Denmark this month.
The Preston forward was last month named in Martin O'Neill's 34-man squad for the playoff.
Independent.ie report that Maguire has suffered a 'serious hamstring injury' which will require surgery and could keep him out of action for three months.
Maguire played 90 minutes during the week as Preston lost at home to Aston Villa. It's said that the 23-year-old is believed to have sustained a hamstring injury in the interim.
Though he only recently made his international debut, Maguire's absence will be a real blow for O'Neill. He has been in good form of late, scoring twice in his last three games, taking his total goals for the season to four.
Last week, as Preston lost 3-2 to Brentford, Maguire scored a superb individual goal - the best of his Preston career so far - against a defence featuring two of the Danish back four.
Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
