Long set to miss Ireland's Euro 2012 playoff games

By foxsports
Published

Shane Long is set to miss both legs of Ireland's European Championship qualification playoff against Estonia next month after being ruled out for up to six weeks with a knee injury.

West Bromwich Albion says the striker ''suffered severe bone bruising, and a small bone chip, inside his right knee'' as a result of a challenge by Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton in a Premier League match on Saturday.

With Ireland playing in Estonia on Nov. 11 and in Dublin four days later for the second leg, coach Giovanni Trapattoni is almost certain to be without Long.

Ireland will also be without the suspended Kevin Doyle for the first leg, while fellow forward Robbie Keane is struggling to make the double-header after hurting his adductor muscle this month.