Ronan Curtis gets all-clear for Portsmouth duty after Republic of Ireland action

The Blues winger was handed 15 minutes from the bench in the Republic of Ireland’s 1-0 defeat at Finland on Wednesday night.

Curtis came agonisingly close to levelling too, with a stoppage-time header brilliantly saved by the opposition keeper in the Nation’s League encounter in Helsinki.

The 24-year-old had earned a return to the international squad after it had been devastated by unavailability through coronavirus problems.

However, Kenny Jackett insists there are no health concerns over Curtis, who is scheduled to return today.

And he will be in the frame for Pompey’s home fixture against Doncaster on Saturday.

Jackett told The News: ‘I didn’t speak to Ronan after the game, but spoke to him before. He’s coming back this afternoon.

‘He had a good header, he was unlucky, the keeper made a great save, I thought.

‘They were saying he should score, but I don’t know what more he could do. He headed it down, it was right in the corner. It was a good header and even better save.

‘He will be buzzing after being called up and getting on the pitch.

‘He’s fine, there are no problems, international squads get tested, so we are expecting him back and will speak to him this afternoon.

‘Good for him, although he’ll be disappointed with the result.’

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Curtis was taken off at half-time in Pompey’s 2-1 win over MK Dons last weekend.

Named in an unfamiliar right-sided attacking role, it had marked a recall having been dropped from the 4-2 triumph at Burton.

But Jackett explained the Irishman’s half-time withdrawal was entirely tactical.

He added: ‘I felt I needed another centre-back in there to make us strong defensively.

‘I could have taken off a number of people. In terms of Ronan on that right-hand side, I just decided to go with him.

‘It did take away some of our offensive play, definitely, but, similarly, we defended well enough to get the three points, that’s the bottom line.

‘I did feel it made us perhaps go a little deep with the formation and we didn’t have the threat we had in the first half.’

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