Republic of Ireland hit by another withdrawal following positive Covid-19 test

An unnamed player has withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland squad after testing positive for coronavirus, the Football Association of Ireland has announced.

The player is now in self-isolation after being tested for a third time on Monday and will miss Wednesday’s Nations League game in Finland.

“The FAI can confirm that the player who initially tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday night is now out of the Ireland squad for the UEFA Nations League game in Finland, after the second of two tests on Monday produced a positive result,” the FAI said.

“The player – who cannot be named – had received a positive result from a UEFA test on Sunday followed by a negative result from a second test on Monday morning.

“A third test has now come back positive and the player will now self-isolate for the next 10 days as per HSE guidelines. No members of the Irish squad or the backroom team have been identified as close contacts of the player.”

The FAI said manager Stephen Kenny will not call up any replacements for the Finland fixture.

John Egan, Callum Robinson, Callum O’Dowda and Alan Browne all missed Sunday’s goalless draw against Wales as close contacts of another unnamed player who tested positive.

The FAI launched an investigation into the unnamed player’s conflicting test results, while striker Aaron Connolly was allowed to meet up with the squad again on Tuesday.

Connolly, along with Adam Idah, was withdrawn before Thursday night’s Euro 2020 play-off semi-final in Slovakia following what proved to be a false positive result for a member of the non-football staff.