Ward in need of game time

Last updated : 15 November 2015 By Tony Scholes

Ward was signed by the Clarets in August of last year and won his place in the Burnley team at left back before suffering a long term injury. Since returning to fitness his only action has been from the bench other than the Capital One Cup tie at Port Vale this season. His only league action this season came at Wolves last weekend.

He played against Germany in October for his country but was left out of the second game and he had a difficult time in this most recent game with Martin O'Neill admitting that he withdrew him because he'd already been carded and he feared he'd get another due to tiredness.

"It was difficult to be honest with you," Ward conceded. "Since the last game (Germany) I have gone another month without playing. It's something that I'm going to have to address because it's difficult to step into games like this.

"If we had a fully fit squad I may not have started, but I was happy to go out there and give it my best."

Ireland got a very creditable draw but Ward said: "It was difficult and a tough start to the game. We knew the way they played, but they surprised us a bit and went four up front right from the off so we were penned in a bit. We stuck at it. We stick in there and we're happy with the result.

"They're good players and you have to respect them, but we defended well and kept them at bay for most of the game. We're the away team and the onus was on them to come out and attack us but we kept it tight."

Ward is expected to be in the squad for the second leg in Dublin tomorrow but O'Neill will have to make a decision on whether he will start and win his 32nd cap.

On this subject, the INTERNATIONALS feature has been updated with John Guidetti winning his fifth cap for Sweden last night in their 2-1 play-off win against Denmark in Solna when he came on as a late substitute for captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic who had scored the second goal from the penalty spot.