Scan shows O'Shea's calf injury on a minor scale

JOHN O’SHEA is expected to be able to report for training next Monday as scheduled after a scan on a calf injury sustained in yesterday’s game against Manchester United revealed that the problem was less serious than initially feared.

Immediately after the match Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill had suggested the injury might have been serious enough to threaten O’Shea’s participation at Euro 2012.

Last night, however, the problem was described as “nothing to worry about”, by the FAI, which expects the defender to be fit enough to train after a week’s rest.

O’Neill’s first opinion was that the 31-year-old’s injury was a significant one.

O’Neill said: “John didn’t feel comfortable. He has come back and he was starting to feel his injury, so he just didn’t feel confident at all about moving on it.”

There was better news for some of Trapattoni’s strikers as they signed off the season amongst the goals.

Jonathan Walters scored two, the second from the spot, as Stoke drew 2-2 with Bolton, a result that sent Owen Coyle’s team down to the Championship. And Shane Long scored an 11th-minute goal for West Brom in the 2-3 defeat against Arsenal at the Hawthorns.

O’Shea and the rest of Trapattoni’s Premier League-based players are due to meet up in Malahide next Sunday to begin their preparations for the tournament.