Portsmouth's Ronan Curtis in contention for Republic of Ireland outing with Mick McCarthy set to ring changes against Bulgaria

Ronan Curtis could win his third Republic of Ireland cap against Bulgaria on Tuesday night.
Ronan Curtis on his Republic of Ireland debut against Northern Ireland last year. Picture: PA ImagesRonan Curtis on his Republic of Ireland debut against Northern Ireland last year. Picture: PA Images
Ronan Curtis on his Republic of Ireland debut against Northern Ireland last year. Picture: PA Images

Boss Mick McCarthy is set to ring the changes for Eire’s friendly at the Aviva Stadium.

Curtis was an unused substitute in Ireland’s 1-1 Euro 2020 qualifying draw with Switzerland last Thursday.

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The Pompey winger hasn’t made an appearance for Ireland since featuring against Denmark last November.

But McCarthy revealed he wants to hand minutes to those who’ve made up the numbers in his squad recently – with Curtis being one of them – in the friendly against Bulgaria.

And Curtis’ hopes of featuring for his country have been boosted after forwards David McGoldrick and Callum Robinson returned to Sheffield United after picking up respective shoulder and hamstring injuries.

McCarthy said: ‘To be honest, I think we have cohesion. We don't look like a team that is not cohesive, they understand each other.

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‘The lads who travel around and never get a game, that's not right either. What happens if we need them?

‘We already need a left-back for the next game (Enda Stevens is suspended for Georgia next month) so it's important that some of them get a game.

‘It’s also important that the ones who have been playing up to now then support them, just like they’ve had that support.’

Meanwhile, Craig MacGillivray is likely to again be on the bench when Scotland face Belgium at Hampden Park on Tuesday.

Ross McCrorie is set to skipper Scotland under-21s in Croatia the same evening.

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