Republic of Ireland midfielder David Meyler has been ruled out of both European Championship play-off games against Bosnia and Herzegovina and will almost certainly be laid up until the start of the new year after the knee injury sustained in a training ground tackle on Marc Wilson on Wednesday was diagnosed as a grade two tear to his medial ligament.

Martin O’Neill had expressed his frustration over the way the player had needlessly hurt himself towards the end of a five-a-side game when he spoke to the media not long afterwards. But at that stage the manager was clearly hopeful that the 26-year-old would shake the problem off and be in contention to feature for Ireland on Friday evening.

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Instead, an MRI scan highlighted the seriousness of the problem and Hull City issued a statement in which they estimated that the Irishman will be out of action for “up to eight weeks”.

The news is a blow to O’Neill whose options have already been narrowed on a number of fronts and, of course, the Meyler himself, who had recently hit an impressive run of form at Hull City after having had to fight to reclaim his place in Steve Bruce’s first team.