Ireland dealt injury blow for crucial World Cup qualifer against Wales

Defender Shane Duffy has been ruled out.

Ireland defender Shane Duffy will miss Ireland crucial World Cup qualifier against Wales later this month after he was ruled out with a foot injury. Duffy will need surgery on a broken metatarsal and will miss the next six weeks of action, having been forced off in Brighton's 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the weekend. The former Everton and Blackburn defender had been in excellent form for Chris Hughton's Seagulls and was expected to start against Gareth Bale and co., having played in the 1-0 win over Austria last November. “He's fractured his fifth metatarsal and will have an operation probably tomorrow," Hughton said. "We're probably looking at a minimum of six weeks. He's a big loss." Ireland go into the game top of Group D, with ten points from four games played so far. Wales currently sit third on six points.