Evan Ferguson’s Status Uncertain for World Cup Qualifier Against Hungary

Evan Ferguson has scored three of the Republic of Ireland’s four goals in the current qualifying campaign.

The Republic of Ireland will take a cautious approach regarding Evan Ferguson’s potential participation in their World Cup qualifier against Hungary on Sunday. The Roma striker has been ruled out of Thursday’s match against Portugal in Dublin (19:45 GMT) due to an ankle injury.

As a precaution, Celtic striker Johnny Kenny was added to the Irish squad on Monday to replace Ferguson, who will continue his rehabilitation in hopes of being fit for the second match of this international window.

Heimir Hallgrimsson’s team currently sits third in Group F, trailing group leaders Portugal by six points and Hungary by one.

Ferguson has been instrumental in the campaign, contributing three out of the four goals scored by the Republic of Ireland thus far. Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Kenny has excelled under interim Celtic manager Martin O’Neill, netting four goals recently.

“Let’s wait and see. We were hopeful for both games, but the Portugal match may come too soon,” commented Republic’s assistant head coach John O’Shea regarding Ferguson’s availability. “We knew it would be a close call. Johnny is coming in full of confidence and it’s great to see him in good form. Martin has a commendable record of giving young players opportunities.”

The Republic of Ireland began their qualifying campaign with a point from their opening game against Hungary, followed by a disappointing loss away to Armenia, then suffering a last-minute 1-0 defeat in Portugal, before securing a home victory against Armenia.

O’Shea described the injury-time loss to Ruben Neves’ goal in Portugal as “gut-wrenching,” but noted the team’s ability to draw positives from their performances.

“The team and defense performed admirably, particularly in handling duels and crosses. There is a solid foundation to build upon. Our home crowd can provide a significant boost in creating pressure and support, which is essential for performing well. We must ensure we maintain control over the situations that Portugal managed effectively at home.”

The Republic will monitor the result of the other group match between Armenia and Hungary before kick-off against Portugal.

“It will hold some significance, but our focus needs to be solely on how we approach the game against Portugal to secure the result we need,” explained O’Shea. “The crowd plays a vital role in our performance, and we must give them something to cheer about. It’s a mutual relationship; when both the team and fans are united, we are hard to stop.”

O’Shea characterized Thursday’s match against one of Europe’s powerhouses as a “massive game.”

“We need to be tight and aggressive, particularly in clearing crosses and fundamental defensive duties. It’s a home World Cup qualification match against a top-seeded team. It’s moments like these that make football worthwhile—facing quality opposition while contributing to a potential fantastic victory for our country. That’s what drives us.”

Additionally, Jamie McGrath has been called up by Hallgrimsson for the upcoming matches, serving as a replacement for Bristol City’s Mark Sykes, who suffered a leg injury during last week’s 1-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers. McGrath last earned a cap as a substitute in a 2-1 away victory against Finland in October 2024.

**Updated Republic of Ireland Squad**
**Goalkeepers:** Caoimhín Kelleher (Brentford), Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Mark Travers (Everton)
**Defenders:** Seamus Coleman (Everton), Jake O’Brien (Everton), Dara O’Shea (Ipswich Town), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Liam Scales (Celtic), John Egan (Hull City), Ryan Manning (Southampton), Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers), Kevin O’Toole (New York City)
**Midfielders:** Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Finn Azaz (Southampton), Conor Coventry (Charlton Athletic), Jamie McGrath (Hibernian), Andrew Moran (Los Angeles FC)
**Attackers:** Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Adam Idah (Swansea City), Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion), Chiedozie Ogbene (Sheffield United), Festy Ebosele (Istanbul Basaksehir), Johnny Kenny (Celtic).