Republic of Ireland squad to address Israel fixture after Kosovo match, O'Shea says

Republic of Ireland defender Dara O'Shea has said the national team squad will hold off discussing Sunday's fixture against Israel until after Thursday's match against Kosovo, describing the upcoming game as a contentious one.

O'Shea said the sensitivity surrounding the fixture "can't be brushed over," acknowledging that the match has drawn attention beyond the football itself. The squad's focus, he indicated, remains on preparing for the Kosovo game first before turning attention to how they will approach the Israel fixture.

The comments reflect the broader context in which the match will be played, with football fixtures involving Israel having drawn scrutiny and debate internationally. Further details on how the squad plans to address the fixture were not disclosed.