Breaking: Shane Duffy and Aaron Connolly return to Ireland squad for September fixtures

Breaking: Shane Duffy and Aaron Connolly return to Ireland squad for September fixtures

Ronan Calvert reports from the Aviva Stadium.

Stephen Kenny has named his Republic of Ireland squad.

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has announced his squad for upcoming European Championship qualifiers against France and the Netherlands.

Included in the selection are the returning Shane Duffy and Aaron Connolly. Duffy has been absent from Kenny’s squads since last summer’s 3-0 victory over Scotland, while you have to go all the way back to the Autumn of 2021 against Azerbaijan to remember Connolly’s last appearance in the green shirt.

Duffy’s recall arrives after a bright start to the season with Norwich City where he has started ahead of international teammate Andrew Omobamidele – who didn’t make today’s squad – at the heart of the Canaries defence.

The Derryman joined the Championship outfit at the start of June and it was a transfer that desperately needed to work out after he endured a torrid time at Fulham last campaign where he barely played.

Connolly

Kenny chops and changes his Ireland squad.

Connolly meanwhile, has hit the ground running with his new club Hull City where he has scored three goals already this season. His recall means that Troy Parrott – a regular in Kenny’s squads throughout his tenure – misses out. Parrott is currently on loan with Eredivisie strugglers Excelsior Rotterdam from Spurs and will probably need to find his shooting boots in the Netherlands before he reclaims his place in the squad.

Also included for the first time in a few windows are Enda Stevens (Stoke), Ryan Manning (Southampton) and uncapped wing-back Festy Ebosele (Udinese). The three players join James McClean and Matt Doherty in the wing-back divisions but injured captain Seamus Coleman and the out of form Callum O’Dowda miss out.

Other notable absentees include Mark Sykes (Bristol City), Sammie Szmodics (Blackburn Rovers) and Liam Scales (Celtic).

Ireland face France away from home on the 7th of September before returning home to host the Netherlands three days later on September 10th.