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Bosnia and Herzegovina v Republic of Ireland preview

It's game day in Bosnia and Martin O'Neill has some big decisions to make ahead of tonight's Euro...



Bosnia and Herzegovina v Repub...
Soccer

Bosnia and Herzegovina v Republic of Ireland preview

It's game day in Bosnia and Martin O'Neill has some big decisions to make ahead of tonight's Euro 2016 Play-Off 1st leg against Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

O'Neill is expected make at least 5 changes to the side that stunned Germany last month. Shay Given and John O'Shea are injured so Darren Randolph and Ciaran Clarke will come into the starting 11.

Seamus Coleman will return in place of Cyrus Christie. Jon Walters suspension should mean a return to a reshuffled midfield for his Stoke colleague Glenn Whelan while Mark Wilson is pushing Stephen Ward for the left back spot.

O'Neill is philosophical about the absence of so many key men, “Missing key players seems to be the talk of the week but it hasn’t come from myself,” he said. “It is almost inevitable we will miss players. It’s how you cope without them that’s important.

"In two weeks’ time, nobody ever remembers who was injured. That’s the nature of it. That happens. We’ll deal with the people who are here. We have to be ready for the challenge, and it’s a big challenge.”

Less than 1,000 Irish supporters are expected at the 12,000 capacity Bilino Polje Stadium in Zeneca, around 80 kilometres north of Sarajevo.

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