Ipswich Town striker David McGoldrick has been cut from the Republic of Ireland squad ahead of their World Cup play-off matches against Denmark. =

The six-cap front man had been named in Martin O’Neill’s provisional squad, but has been omitted for the final 27-man party as Shane Long (Southampton), Daryl Murphy (Nottingham Forest), Scott Hogan (Aston Villa) and Aiden O’Brien (Millwall) got the nod.

Ireland face the Danes at the Parken Stadium, Copenhagen on Saturday with the second match at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin next Tuesday.

Blues left-back Jonas Knudsen – who has only been capped twice at senior level – was recently added to the Danish squad.

Emyr Huws was named in the Wales squad for friendlies against France and Panama, but then withdrew and will continue his recovery from an Achilles injury for the Blues’ Under-23s tonight.

Bersant Celina will link up with Kosovo for a home friendly against Latvia, while Tommy Smith and Monty Patterson are in the New Zealand squad for World Cup play-offs against Peru.