Northern Ireland defender Eoin Toal has been ruled out of Sunday’s League One play-off final through injury – and will almost certainly miss an international double-header next month.

Toal has captained Bolton Wanderers to another Wembley showpiece with Steven Schumacher’s side set to face Stockport County for a spot in England’s second-tier next term.

Former Armagh City centre-back Toal made 37 appearances throughout Bolton’s League One campaign this term as they finished fifth but limped off before half-time of their semi-final second-leg win over Bradford City on May 14.

Toal has previously enjoyed Wembley success with Bolton – he was part of a Wanderers squad, which also included countrymen Conor Bradley and Dion Charles, that celebrated EFL Trophy glory at the London venue in 2023.

placeholder image — Northern Ireland's Eoin Toal will miss Bolton Wanderers' League One play-off final. (Photo William Cherry/Presseye)

The 27-year-old has been a key figure for the Greater Manchester club since arriving from Derry City in 2022, but will now be forced to sit out on Sunday as Bolton look to seal a Championship return for the first time since 2019.

With manager Schumacher saying Toal has “a summer ahead of him trying to rehabilitate the hamstring” after suffering a tear, it suggests he’ll be absent from Michael O’Neill’s Northern Ireland squad for June friendlies against Guinea and France – the panel will be revealed next week.

Toal has earned 11 international caps and started in March’s draw with Wales in Cardiff after Northern Ireland had suffered World Cup agony in a 2-0 play-off semi-final defeat to Italy.

“Unfortunately, Toally isn’t going to be available,” said Schumacher. “He's got a tear in his hamstring, so we knew on Thursday night at Bradford when he stepped forward and he had to come off.

“He said to me straight away that it was a bad one, and it is. It is quite a high-grade hamstring tear, so he will have to miss the game, which is a big blow, because he's been a good player for us.

“It’s unfortunate for him to miss the last game of the season when he's been available for pretty much every game so far this year.

“But, yeah, he's got a summer ahead of him trying to rehabilitate the hamstring.

“We explained to the players from day one of this season that we are going to need the whole squad and we'll pick teams based on what we feel is the best team at the time to win that particular game, and the bench likewise.

“It is disappointing, but it's part of football and the players, I'm sure, will be professional about it and deal with it.”