Celtic winger Mikey Johnston returns to Republic of Ireland fold after injury

Damian Spellman, PA

Celtic winger Mikey Johnston has returned to the Republic of Ireland squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Greece and Gibraltar after missing last month’s double-header through injury.

Johnston, who scored his first senior international goal in June’s 3-0 victory over Gibraltar in Dublin, sat out the Group B defeats by France and the Netherlands which effectively ended Ireland’s hopes of making it to the finals in Germany next summer with a back injury.

However, he and Cardiff striker Callum Robinson are back in the fold for the games against Greece at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, October 13th and the Gibraltarians in Faro three days later.

Manager Stephen Kenny named a 24-man squad on Thursday, but it did not included the injured Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, Sheffield United defender John Egan or Cardiff winger Callum O’Dowda.

There were places for in-form Celtic defender Liam Scales and Bristol City duo Max O’Leary and Mark Sykes.

Squad: Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Mark Travers (Stoke, on loan from Bournemouth), Max O’Leary (Bristol City), Matt Doherty (Wolves), Festy Ebosele (Udinese), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Shane Duffy (Norwich), Dara O’Shea (Burnley), Andrew Omobamidele (Nottingham Forest), Liam Scales (Celtic), Ryan Manning (Southampton), Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jayson Molumby (West Brom), Alan Browne (Preston), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Jamie McGrath (Aberdeen), Mark Sykes (Bristol City), Evan Ferguson (Brighton), Adam Idah (Norwich), Aaron Connolly (Hull), Chiedozie Ogbene (Luton), Callum Robinson (Cardiff), Mikey Johnston (Celtic).