Doris Makes Ireland Squad While Joe McCarthy Misses Out

Returning head coach Andy Farrell has selected captain Doris in his Ireland squad for the autumn matches, however Joe McCarthy is absent.

The captain, absent from play since undergoing a shoulder operation in the start of May, has come back to provincial 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, was not considered after failing to recover from the foot injury suffered during the opening Lions match against the Wallabies in the summer.

Ulster player Cormac Izuchukwu and southern province wing Nash are also absent due to injury, and number 15 Hugo Keenan was previously excluded after undergoing hip surgery following the summer tour.

Dublin province forward McCarthy - Joe's younger brother - is the only new member in the 34-player squad, but Irish rugby authorities says uncapped provincial duo Edwin Edogbo and Gleeson and once-capped Connacht wing Shayne Bolton will travel to Chicago as "backup".

After facing the New Zealand at Soldier Field in a repeat of their previous meeting, Ireland will play Japan, the Wallabies and world champions the Springboks in the Irish capital.

"It's an exciting group to the panel and there's an opportunity for the more experienced players and for the newcomers on the summer tour to the Lelos and the Lobos," said Farrell, who returns to national team duties after taking a sabbatical to coach the British and Irish Lions to Australia.

In a largely familiar-looking squad, the Dublin club's Prendergast and the southern club's Jack Crowley will again vie for the starting fly-half position. The fly-half role is still up for grabs, with Prendergast and Crowley set to face off for the first time in the upcoming URC game at the Dublin venue.

Ciaran Frawley is the third number 10 chosen with Farrell deciding not to selecting the province's Byrne.

At scrum-half, the Ireland boss has selected Lions tourist Gibson-Park and Casey, who captained the national side to the summer international victories over Georgia and the Lobos. There is also a recall for the western province's Caolin Blade, who is preferred to teammate Ben Murphy.

Henshaw, Aki, Garry Ringrose and McCloskey form an veteran group of centre choices. Osborne is another option in the midfield, but the youngster is also a frontrunner to cover for Keenan at number 15.

Wingers Lowe, Mack Hansen, Tommy O'Brien and Stockdale are included. The winger shone on his first Ireland outings over the summer with two tries apiece in the wins over the Lelos and the Lobos.

McCarthy is the only new addition in the Irish forwards. The front rower has been in a couple of his province's URC United Rugby Championship matches so far and featured in the second string's loss by the English in the English city earlier this year.

McCarthy was included in interim boss Paul O'Connell's summer squad, but did not receive a international appearance.

Munster second row Ahern, who earned his debut appearances in those Tests, is kept in the squad, while veteran Ulster second row Iain Henderson returns after sitting out the summer tour.

Conan, who started all three Lions Tests over the summer, is poised to deputise for the captain if the skipper fails to recover fitness in time to play the All Blacks.

The Ireland squad will meet in the capital on Monday before flying to the US on the following day.

Forwards (19): Ahern (Munster), Ryan Baird (Province), Finlay Bealham (Province), Beirne (Munster), Boyle (Province), Thomas Clarkson (Province), Jack Conan (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Province, captain), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Paddy McCarthy (Province), Porter (Leinster), C Prendergast (Province), Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Province), Nick Timoney (Province), Josh van der Flier (Leinster).

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

Times BST

• The national team v New Zealand, November 1, Soldier Field (20:10)
• Ireland v Japan, November 8, Aviva Stadium (12:40)
• Ireland v Australia, 15 November, Aviva Stadium (20:10)
• The Irish v the Springboks, November 22, Dublin (17:40)