IRELAND could suffer a major injury blow with Norwich City's former Livingston midfielder Wes Hoolahan a huge doubt for their Euro 2016 showdown with Scotland.
Scotland travel to Dublin next week for what will be a key game in their battle to qualify for France.
Hoolahan - who spent a year in West Lothian before moving south in 2008 - has just celebrated promotion to the English Premier League with Alex Neil's Norwich.
The Carrow Road side wanted him to pull out of Ireland's summer games against England, Northern Ireland and Scotland after he picked up a knee injury.
Martin O'Neill revealed he has defied their wishes to try to make the qualifier, but faces a race against time to be fit.
O'Neill said: "There is a possibility Norwich wanted him not to play in the games I think to get himself right in the summertime but Wes thankfully has left that out of the equation, and I hope he's going to be all right.
"His issue he's carrying a little injury for a while. I think it's the back of knee, he's talking about. It's to do with the tendon there. Maybe I'm making more of it is than it is but Wes wants to play the games, which is great for us."
Ireland are also concerned about the fitness of legendary striker Robbie Keane. Their all-time top scorer missed out on LA Galaxy's weekend game having only just recovered from a seven-week absence with a groin injury.
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