No room for Obafemi as Ronan and Sykes earn maiden Ireland call-ups

Belfast born Mark Sykes has been added to Stephen Kenny's midfield options ahead of Republic of Ireland friendlies against Belgium and Lithuania at the Aviva stadium later this month.

Sykes (24), who came through the underage ranks with Northern Ireland before switching allegiance to the FAI in 2020, is a box-to-box player who can challenge for several positions in the 3-4-2-1 system after an impressive season for Oxford Untied in League One where he has scored eight goals and made four assists.

Jamie McGrath, having struggled for form since joining Wigan Athletic in January, is excluded from the 25-man squad as Connor Ronan and Darragh Lenihan are rewarded for impressive campaigns with St Mirren and Blackburn Rovers.

Michael Obafemi, the in-form Swansea striker, has also been overlooked by Kenny after the Dubliner rejected a call-up to the Ireland under-21 squad to play Sweden.

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Obafemi, capped off the bench against Denmark in 2018, informed under-21 manager Jim Crawford that he “sees himself as a senior international player.”

For now, he is not.

Norwich City pair Adam Idah (knee) and Andrew Omobamidele (back) are unavailable as is Sheffield United wing back Enda Stevens. There is no room either for Middlesborough’s Aaron Connolly.

Republic of Ireland Squad - Belgium & Lithuania

Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Gavin Bazunu (Portsmouth, on loan from Manchester City), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)

Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Ryan Manning (Swansea City), James McClean (Wigan Athletic), Shane Duffy (Brighton and Hove Albion), John Egan (Sheffield United), Nathan Collins (Burnley), Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers).

Midfielders: Conor Hourihane (Sheffield United, on loan from Aston Villa), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Jeff Hendrick (QPR, on loan from Newcastle United), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Jason Knight (Derby County), Mark Sykes (Oxford United).

Forwards: Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion), Troy Parrott (MK Dons, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Will Keane (Wigan Athletic), Scott Hogan (Birmingham City), Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United), Connor Ronan (St. Mirren, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers).