Ireland’s Alan Judge to undergo surgery on fractured wrist

Mick McCarthy confirms midfielder avoided nerve damage after Denmark injury

Alan Judge will undergo surgery after injuring his wrist against Denmark. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Alan Judge will undergo surgery after injuring his wrist against Denmark. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Republic of Ireland midfielder Alan Judge is to undergo surgery on his fractured wrist on Monday, manager Mick McCarthy has revealed.

The 30-year-old Ipswich man needed extensive treatment on the pitch following a collision with Kasper Dolberg at the Telia Parken Stadium in Copenhagen on Friday night, minutes after coming off the bench to provide the cross from which Shane Duffy snatched a 1-1 Euro 2020 qualifier draw with Denmark.

Judge, who has had to contend with a catalogue of injuries in recent years, including an horrific double leg fracture during his time at Brentford, will have the damage repaired on Monday before re-joining his team-mates to watch that evening’s clash with Gibraltar at the Aviva Stadium.

McCarthy told FAI TV: “They managed to put it back in place, I think, last night in Denmark — we were conscience of any nerve damage if we didn’t and he may have had to stay.

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“Thankfully, he came back. He’s having it done on Monday. He’s a groomsman at a wedding today, which he was going to anyway — I’m not so sure how his suit is going to fit him now.

“It’s a shame because I thought he was terrific. I think he helped change the game for us. It’s such a shame because I thought he did really well.

“He’s been training really, really well and I think he’s got back to his best since he broke his leg at Brentford — ironically when he was playing against my team, Ipswich — and he’s looked really good, so for him to get that injury...

“He had a real chance of playing on Monday.”

Judge will be joined on the sidelines by Burnley defender Kevin Long, who will sit out the Gibraltar game with a minor calf strain.