Euro 2024 qualifiers: Fresh injury blow for Northern Ireland as Craig Cathcart and Ciaron Brown withdraw due to injury ahead of Kazakhstan clash

Craig Cathcart and Ciaron Brown have withdrawn from the Northern Ireland squad for Sunday’s Euro 2024 qualifier in Kazakhstan as Michael O’Neill’s injury troubles deepened.
By Ian Parker, PA
Published 9th Sep 2023, 00:21 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Brown was forced off with a twisted ankle early on in Thursday’s 4-2 loss to Slovenia, with his replacement Cathcart then withdrawn in the 76th minute with a groin problem.

With Dan Ballard having missed that fixture with an ankle problem, O’Neill’s defensive resources could be stretched to the limit in Astana.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

While O’Neill has Eoin Toal and Brodie Spencer in the squad, Paddy McNair is a regular in defence for Middlesbrough and Southampton midfielder Shea Charles dropped into the back four at times in Ljubljana.

Northern Ireland’s Ciaron Brown and Craig Cathcart are out of Sunday's Euro 2024 qualifier with KazakhstanNorthern Ireland’s Ciaron Brown and Craig Cathcart are out of Sunday's Euro 2024 qualifier with Kazakhstan
Northern Ireland’s Ciaron Brown and Craig Cathcart are out of Sunday's Euro 2024 qualifier with Kazakhstan

Northern Ireland’s qualifying campaign has been wrecked by an injury list stretching deep into double figures and Thursday’s defeat effectively ended any hopes of making it to next summer’s finals in Germany.

Related topics:Dan Ballard