Caelan Doris Secures Spot in Ireland Squad But McCarthy Misses Out

Newly reappointed manager the Ireland coach has included skipper Caelan Doris in his Irish squad for the fall matches, but Joe McCarthy has been excluded.

Doris, who has not played since having a shoulder operation in early May, recently returned to Leinster training, with doubts lingering whether he will be fit to play against New Zealand in Chicago on November 1.

Lock McCarthy, on the other hand, did not make the cut after failing to recover from the foot injury he sustained during the opening Lions Test against the Wallabies in July.

Ulster player Cormac Izuchukwu and Munster wing Calvin Nash also miss out due to injury, and number 15 Keenan had already been ruled out after undergoing hip surgery following the summer tour.

Dublin province forward McCarthy - the brother of Joe - is the sole new player in the 34-man squad, however Irish rugby authorities states new Munster duo Edogbo and Brian Gleeson and once-capped Connacht wing Shayne Bolton will head to the US as "reserves".

After facing the All Blacks at the Chicago stadium in a rematch of their 2016 meeting, the team will play the Brave Blossoms, the Wallabies and world title holders the Springboks in the Irish capital.

"It's an exciting group to the panel and it's a chance for the more experienced members and for the newcomers on the recent tour to Georgia and Portugal," said the coach, back to Ireland duty after a break to coach the British and Irish Lions to the southern hemisphere.

In a largely familiar-looking squad, Leinster's Sam Prendergast and Munster's Jack Crowley will once again vie for the first-choice fly-half position. The fly-half role is still up for grabs, with Prendergast and Crowley set to play against each other for the first time in Saturday's United Rugby Championship game at the Dublin venue.

Frawley is the third number 10 chosen as the coach deciding not to calling up the province's Byrne.

At scrum-half, the Ireland boss has picked Lions tourist Jamison Gibson-Park and Craig Casey, who led the national side to the summer Test victories over the Lelos and the Lobos. Additionally, there is a recall for the western province's Blade, chosen to teammate Murphy.

Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose and Stuart McCloskey form an experienced group of midfield options. Osborne is a further choice in the midfield, but the youngster is additionally a leading candidate to cover for Keenan at number 15.

Outside backs Lowe, Mack Hansen, O'Brien and Stockdale are named. The winger impressed on his first Ireland outings during the summer with a brace each in the victories over Georgia and the Lobos.

Paddy McCarthy is the only new addition in the Ireland forwards. The loose-head prop has started two of Leinster's three United Rugby Championship games so far and played in the second string's loss by the English in the English city earlier this year.

McCarthy was included in caretaker coach Paul O'Connell's summer selection, but did not earn a cap.

Southern province lock Thomas Ahern, who earned his first two caps in those matches, is retained, and experienced Northern province second row Henderson returns after missing the summer matches.

Jack Conan, who started all three Lions Tests during the tour, is set to deputise for Doris if the skipper fails to recover fitness in time to play the All Blacks.

The national team will assemble in Dublin on the start of the week before traveling to the US on Tuesday.

Pack (19): Ahern (Munster), Ryan Baird (Province), Bealham (Province), Beirne (Province), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Province), Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt), Furlong (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Province), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Paddy McCarthy (Leinster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), C Prendergast (Province), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Timoney (Ulster), van der Flier (Leinster).

Backline (15): Bundee Aki (Connacht), Caolin Blade (Province), Craig Casey (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Ciaran Frawley (Province), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Hansen (Province), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), O'Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Province), S Prendergast (Leinster), Ringrose (Province), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster).

Kick-off times

• The national team v the All Blacks, 1 November, Soldier Field (20:10)
• Ireland v the Brave Blossoms, 8 November, Aviva Stadium (12:40)
• The team v the Wallabies, 15 November, Aviva Stadium (20:10)
• The Irish v South Africa, 22 November, Dublin (17:40)