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Page last updated at 07:53 GMT, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 08:53 UK

NI trio ruled out of Prague trip

Sammy Clingan
Sammy Clingan has been ruled out of the trip to Prague

Northern Ireland trio Sammy Clingan, Chris Brunt and Andrew Little have been ruled out of Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier with the Czech Republic.

Clingan will be out for six weeks with a broken toe while Brunt is set to miss three weeks of action after suffering a recurrence of a calf strain.

Little will be absent for six weeks with a hamstring injury.

Manager Nigel Worthington has called up midfielder Michael O'Connor who has been in good form with Scunthorpe.

Pat McCourt's good form for Celtic has earned him a call-up to the Northern Ireland panel for the final World Cup qualifier in Prague.

The former Derry City man has scored in two of Celtic's recent matches, the second a fine individual effort at St Mirren.

With Burnley striker Martin Paterson ruled out because of injury, Warren Feeney returns after a hip problem.

Rangers front man Kyle Lafferty, who missed the home defeat by Slovakia, is also back in Nigel Worthington's squad.

Although qualification is still mathematically possible, that 2-0 defeat at Windsor Park effectively killed off Northern Ireland's hopes of reaching the 2010 finals in South Africa.

"We are still in the fight, and that shows the progress we have made," said Worthington.

"I have been happy with the results, we just let ourselves down against Slovakia last time round."

Worthington said he would talk to the Irish FA about a possible new contract once the qualification campaign was over.

"The president and chief executive asked me if I wanted a game in November and I said yes," he added.

"So hopefully we will get a game sorted then.

"I said I did not want any distractions during the campaign and the IFA accepted that.

"They have been very supportive and I have enjoyed my work with them."


Northern Ireland squad: Taylor (Birmingham City), Mannus (Shamrock Rovers), Tuffey (Partick Thistle); Craigan (Motherwell), Hughes (Fulham), McAuley (Ipswich Town), Baird (Fulham), Evans (Manchester United), McCartney (Sunderland), Coates (Crusaders); McCann (Scunthorpe United), O'Connor (Scunthorpe Utd), McGinn (Celtic), Johnson (Birmingham City), Davis (Rangers), McCourt (Celtic); Healy (Sunderland), Lafferty (Rangers), Feeney (Cardiff City).



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see also
Burnley hit by Paterson lay-off
24 Sep 09 |  Burnley
N Ireland 0-2 Slovakia
09 Sep 09 |  Internationals


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