Northern Ireland rocked by three more injury withdrawals ahead of Euro double-header
Bailey Peacock-Farrell (right) has been ruled out of their Euro 2024 qualifying double-header
At some point in the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, you have to wonder if Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill thought about asking Aaron Hughes to come out of retirement again given all the injuries to his squad, with three more players forced to withdraw before flying out to Finland for Friday’s penultimate group game.
Due to a knee injury for Aarhus goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell and calf problems for Portsmouth winger Paddy Lane and Kilmarnock midfielder Brad Lyons, they pulled out of the trip to Helsinki and will miss Monday’s match at home to Denmark as well.
While that trio have returned to their clubs for treatment, O’Neill has called up West Ham United defender Michael Forbes and Portsmouth midfielder Terry Devlin from the Under-21 panel, while St Mirren midfielder Caolan Boyd-Munce has also joined the squad.
If there are any more injuries they may make their senior international debuts at some stage over the next week.
O’Neill had already lost his captain, Manchester United defender Jonny Evans, for this double header, adding to a lengthy list of big name absentees including Steven Davis and Stuart Dallas.
QPR winger Paul Smyth has been ruled out of the Finland match but there are hopes he will return to face the Danes after receiving treatment on a hamstring injury at his club.
O’Neill has never known an injury situation like it. He will work with his backroom team, which includes the legendary Hughes who he famously persuaded to come out of international retirement in his first spell in charge, to formulate a new starting XI in Helsinki with.
Peacock-Farrell is likely to be replaced by Conor Hazard. Lyons was
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