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Jon Walters has scored 13 goals in 48 appearances for Ireland. Ryan Byrne/INPHO
problems

Ireland's striker worries continue as Jon Walters sits out training

The Stoke man did not train this afternoon as a precautionary measure.

IRELAND’S STRIKER PROBLEMS continued today, as Jonathan Walters sat out training as a precautionary measure ahead of Sunday’s vital World Cup qualifier against Austria.

The Stoke star did not take part in the team’s open training session at the Aviva Stadium today owing to a knee problem, and while he is expected to be fit against Austria, it represents a further worry for the Boys in Green who are already light up front.

Following the withdrawal of Shane Long from the squad after the Tipperary native picked up a broken metatarsal while playing in Southampton’s Premier League match against Middlesbrough last month, there was further bad news last night as Ipswich star David McGoldrick was ruled out of the upcoming Group D clash.

If the Stoke attacker is rendered unavailable, Ireland would be left with just one natural striker left in their squad — Newcastle’s Daryl Murphy, though Martin O’Neill has experimented with James McClean in attack in the past.

Aberdeen’s Adam Rooney and Kevin Doyle of Colorado Rapids both made the provisional squad but failed to feature in the final cut, with a call-up for either unlikely at this stage.

There have also recently been calls for the inclusion of Jagiellonia Białystok’s Cillian Sheridan and Cork City’s Sean Maguire, with O’Neill last week citing a lack of experience as his reason for omitting the latter.

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