Matt Doherty out of France trip due to extended ban
Matt Doherty is out of Ireland’s Euro qualifier in France on Thursday week, incurring a second match to his ban imposed for being sent off in Greece.
Irish frustration boiled over in the latter stages in Athens in June as Greece comfortably held onto their 2-1 lead, culminating in Doherty being sent off by Harald Lechner.
The Australian official brandished his red after the 31-year-old initially barged into Georgios Tzavellas and then squared up to Kostas Tsmikas. Doherty would later refer to the whistler as arrogant.
He was suspended for the subsequent second-half stroll over Gibraltar but UEFA have confirmed that the ban also encompasses the trip to Paris next week.
Stephen Kenny was already missing captain Séamus Coleman, meaning both of his two first-choice wing-backs are unavailable.
Doherty, who played the first minutes of his second spell at Wolves in Tuesday’s League Cup thumping of Blackpool will return for the visit to Dublin three days later of Netherlands, whom the Dubliner is eligible to represent through his Dutch mother.
Kenny must also prepare for the vital qualifiers shorn of strikers Michael Obafemi and Mikey Johnston. Better news on the injury front is the anticipated return of Will Smallone for Stoke City this weekend, while James McClean is winning his battle to recover from a knee injury. The Derryman had missed the previous two fixtures for Wrexham but the latest centurion displayed his legendary powers of recovery in overcoming the knock.
France lead Group D with maximum points from four matches, three ahead of Greece who meet the Dutch on the same September 7 night Ireland are at the Parc des Princes. Ireland are third with three points, level with the Dutch but with a game extra played.
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