Aberdeen forward Adam Rooney has been included in a provisional 40-man squad for the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualifying showdowns with Germany and Poland.
The Dons forward netted 28 goals last season and has already scored six times this campaign but is yet to make his international debut amid competition from Robbie Keane, Shane Long, Daryl Murphy, Kevin Doyle, Anthony Stokes , David McGoldrick and Simon Cox.
Everton midfielder Darron Gibson, who is yet to start the new campaign after damaging a knee in a pre-season friendly against Real Betis has also been included in the initial party for the clash with Group D leaders Germany at the Aviva Stadium on October 8 and the trip to Warsaw which follows three days later.
Those fixtures will decide the fate of Ireland’s qualification hopes after victories over Gibraltar and Georgia earlier this month left them in third place, four points ahead of Scotland and with a chance of claiming at least a play-off berth.
Manager Martin O’Neill said: “After collecting six points from our last two qualifying games, we want to keep the momentum going and continue to push towards sealing qualification from what has proved to be a very difficult group.
“We couldn’t have two more difficult games ahead in the shape of world champions Germany at home and in-form Poland in Warsaw.”
The squad will be reduced before the players meet up in Dublin on October 4.
Victory in either match would secure a top-three finish, although with Scotland facing whipping boys Gibraltar in their final fixture, their clash with the Poles in Glasgow the night the Republic entertain the Germans could have a major bearing on the way the group pans out.
Should Gordon Strachan’s men win both of their games, even two draws would not be enough for Ireland as the Scots have a better head-to-head record.
However, if Scotland were to lose at home to Poland, Ireland would finish ahead of them regardless of what happened in their own remaining qualifiers.
Ireland squad
Goalkeepers
David Forde (Millwall), Shay Given (Stoke), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Darren Randolph (West Ham), Rob Elliot (Newcastle)
Defenders
Richard Keogh (Derby), Marc Wilson (Stoke), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Cyrus Christie (Derby), John O’Shea (Sunderland), Alex Pearce (Derby), Shane Duffy (Blackburn), Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa), Paul McShane (Reading), Stephen Ward (Burnley), Greg Cunningham (Preston)
Midfielders
Robbie Brady (Norwich), James McCarthy (Everton), Jeff Hendrick (Derby), Darron Gibson (Everton), Harry Arter, Eunan O’Kane (both Bournemouth), Glenn Whelan (Stoke), Paul Green (Rotherham), Aiden McGeady (Everton), James McClean (West Brom), Alan Judge (Brentford), Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff), Stephen Quinn (Reading), David Meyler (Hull)
Forwards
Jonathan Walters (Stoke), Wes Hoolahan (Norwich), Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), Shane Long (Southampton), Daryl Murphy (Ipswich), Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids), Anthony Stokes (Celtic), David McGoldrick (Ipswich), Adam Rooney (Aberdeen), Simon Cox (Reading)