O'Neill names 29 man squad for summer friendlies

Martin O'Neill has confirmed a 29 nine man for the Republic of Ireland's upcoming programme of friendly fixtures which will see them take on Turkey, Italy, Costa Rica and Portugal in the next month.

Along with James McCarthy who misses out with an ankle injury, Darren Randolph and Joey O'Brien make up the three names belonging to O'Neill's initial 32 man squad omitted from the former Glasgow Celtic manager's final selection.

Stephen Ireland is another notable absentee from the Irish squad despite hints from O'Neill suggesting that the Stoke City midfielder could end his prolonged international exile and make a return to the Irish set-up.

Included in the squad are Everton's Shane Duffy and Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot, both of whom will be looking to earn their first full international caps.

One thing for certain is that Elliot will not earn his first cap against Italy with the Irish management team excusing the former Charlton Athletic netminder from the London encounter with Cesare Prandelli's Azzurri so that he can attend his wedding.

Speaking at the squad announcement, O'Neill made suggestions that he and assistant Roy Keane will use the upcoming programme of friendlies as an experimental exercise ahead of September's opening Euro 2016 qualifier away to Georgia: '' I am looking forward to working with the players over the coming weeks which will be important as we work towards our opening qualification matches in September.

The matches will be about getting to know the players better and changing them around a little bit in terms of personnel in different matches."

Ireland begin this series of friendlies at home to Turkey on May 25, followed by a clash with Italy in Fulham's Craven Cottage on May 31 before flying to the U.S.A to face Costa Rica in PPL Stadium, Philadelphia on June 6 and Portugal in Metlife Stadium, New Jersey on June 10.

Squad:

David Forde (Millwall),

Rob Elliot (Newcastle);

Richard Keogh (Derby),

Marc Wilson (Stoke),

Seamus Coleman (Everton),

John O'Shea (Sunderland),

Alex Pearce (Reading),

Stephen Kelly (Reading),

Damien Delaney (Ipswich),

Shane Duffy (Everton),

Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa),

Stephen Ward (Brighton);

Jeff Hendrick (Derby),

Glenn Whelan (Stoke),

Paul Green (Leeds),

Aiden McGeady (Everton),

Anthony Pilkington (Norwich),

James McClean (Wigan),

Stephen Quinn, (Hull)

David Meyler (Hull),

Wes Hoolahan (Norwich);

Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy),

Shane Long (Hull),

Daryl Murphy (Ipswich),

Jon Walters (Stoke),

Kevin Doyle (QPR),

Anthony Stokes (Celtic),

Simon Cox (Nottingham Forest),

Conor Sammon (Derby).