Sammy Clingan out of N Ireland's Cyprus game because of injury

Image source, Press Eye

Kilmarnock midfielder Sammy Clingan has been ruled out of Northern Ireland's friendly against Cyprus on Wednesday because of a knee injury.

Clingan, 30, was forced off in the first half of Kilmarnock's defeat by St Mirren on Saturday.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill has handed a first call-up to Dundee United's uncapped Paul Paton as Clingan's replacement.

Paton, 26, is eligible for Northern Ireland under the parentage rule.

Wednesday's friendly will go ahead on Wednesday despite the bombing of a referee's car on the island.

All first division matches in Cyprus this weekend have been cancelled but the Irish FA have said that the international friendly is not in any doubt

Midfielder Patton, whose father was born in Larne, previously played for Queen's Park and Partick Thistle before signing for Dundee United last summer.

Paton will join other uncapped player Ben Reeves in O'Neill's squad.

Video caption, Michael O'Neill wants to integrate Ben Reeves into the squad

Milton Keynes Dons midfielder Ben Reeves and Paton are the only new faces in the squad for Wednesday's game in Nicosia.

Forwards Dean Shiels, Pat McCourt and Kyle Lafferty return, but injured defender Jonny Evans and QPR centre-back Aaron Hughes are not included.

Chris Baird, Corry Evans, Lee Hodson and Jonny Steele are also absent.

Defender Baird has been out since November with an ankle injury, having signed a short-term deal with Reading, which expired in January.

Corry Evans has recently returned to action with Blackburn Rovers after missing four months because of ankle ligament damage, while fellow midfielder Steele is playing for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer, whose season started last week.

Shiels has shown good form for Rangers in recent weeks while Palermo frontman Lafferty returns after serving a suspension and missing the friendly against Turkey in November because his wife was about to give birth.

Reeves qualifies for Northern Ireland because his grandparents hail from Fermanagh.

Former skipper Hughes misses the fixture for "personal reasons".

O'Neill will use next week's match as preparation for the Euro 2016 qualifiers, which begin with a trip to face Hungary on 7 September.

Northern Ireland squad:

Goalkeepers: Roy Carroll (Olympiakos), Alan Mannus (St Johnstone), Michael McGovern (Falkirk).

Defenders: Gareth McAuley (West Brom), Daniel Lafferty (Burnley), Rory McArdle (Bradford City), Ryan McGivern (Hibernian), Craig Cathcart (Blackpool), Alex Bruce (Hull City)

Midfielders: Steven Davis (Southampton), Oliver Norwood (Huddersfield Town), Shane Ferguson (Newcastle Utd, on loan at Birmingham City), Chris Brunt (West Bromwich Albion), Pat McCourt (Barnsley), Ben Reeves (MK Dons), Paul Paton (Dundee United)

Forwards: Billy McKay (Inverness C T), Martin Paterson (Huddersfield Town), Jamie Ward (Derby County), Niall McGinn (Aberdeen), Dean Shiels (Rangers), Kyle Lafferty (Palermo).