Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill described the loss of Dan Ballard for the rest of this international window as a “bitter blow” after the Sunderland defender’s hamstring injury.

Ballard has returned to Wearside for further assessment after being forced off in stoppage time of Northern Ireland’s 1-0 win in Georgia on Friday.

O’Neill expressed hope the 27-year-old could return for the final Nations League fixtures in November, but he will miss at least the next three matches, starting with Monday’s home clash against Hungary.

“We can only wish him the speediest recovery possible and hopefully think that we’ll see him in November,” O’Neill said. “But it was a bitter blow for the player because in the game he felt himself that he’d managed the game particularly well and it was just an unfortunate incident that led to the injury.”

placeholder image — Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill talks to media before Monday's UEFA Nations League game in Belfast against Hungary. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press)

Ballard has featured in only 10 of Northern Ireland’s last 21 games due to a mix of injury and suspension, missing the March window after his red card against Slovakia in November, and then June’s internationals due to Achilles surgery.

The defender would surely have far more than his 34 caps were it not for a frustrating run of badly-timed injuries, a point O’Neill made as he compared Ballard’s situation with fellow injured star Conor Bradley, who had surgery on a serious knee injury in January.

“Obviously when Conor got injured we knew that Conor was going to be out for a long period of time,” O’Neill said. “With Daniel, he’s not had an injury of that significance, but he has had injuries that have coincided with quite a lot of international football, so he’s been very unlucky with that side of things.

“You’re more disappointed for the player because I know how badly he wants to come and play and how badly he wants to play for his club.

“People recognise how big a presence Daniel is in the Premier League for Sunderland but also naturally he’s a huge presence for us as well and unfortunately we’ve not had enough of him.”

Such a scenario was always O’Neill’s biggest fear when it came to this new-look international window – lose a player at the start and they are gone for four matches rather than two.

But while Ballard’s exit is no doubt damaging, O’Neill has belief in the defensive depth in his squad.

Tom Atcheson made his first competitive appearance as he started Friday’s match, while Ruairi McConville earned his 13th cap when he came off the bench.

The experienced Paddy McNair replaced Ballard, having been held in reserve due to a lack of match fitness following a foot injury, but O’Neill also pointed to both Trai Hume and Brodie Spencer as options to play in a back three.

“It’s as strong as it’s been for a long time if I’m honest,” O’Neill said of his defence. “When we look back to the teams of the past and we had (Aaron) Hughes, (Jonny) Evans, (Gareth) McAuley and (Craig) Cathcart, you know we had good options at centre-back all playing at a really good level.

“I think with this team we have players who are at a different stage of their career but with huge potential.”