Ireland squad will fulfil Israel fixtures and ‘represent our country’, says Dara O’Shea

The Republic of Ireland players have agreed to fulfil the Nations League fixtures against Israel in Debrecen, Hungary on Sunday and the behind-closed-doors match in northern Serbia on October 4th.

Any decision by the Ireland squad to make a separate collective protest around the Israel matches will be decided on Friday morning, following their opening game of the campaign against Kosovo in Pristina.

“The decision was made by the FAI , the Government and Uefa, for the games to be played,” explained Dara O’Shea , who has been promoted to the captaincy in the absence of the injured Nathan Collins and Séamus Coleman, on Wednesday morning.

“For us as players that is not our decision. We are Irish players and when called upon we come to represent our country. That is important to know too.