Rovers have three players named in Mick McCarthy’s 40-man provisional squad for the Republic of Ireland’s home matches next month.

Darragh Lenihan, Derrick Williams and Greg Cunningham are all in the squad ahead of games with Switzerland on September 5 and Bulgaria five days later.

Lenihan, who Rovers hope will be fit for tomorrow’s game with Middlesbrough, won the first of his two caps in June 2018 before his first start came against Northern Ireland in November.

Williams meanwhile won his sole cap in a friendly against France in May 2018.

Cunningham is the most experienced of the trio, with four caps to his name, though the last of those came in 2013. However, he did take part in a training camp in Portugal in June as Ireland prepared for their two Euro 2020 qualifiers.

The trio are three of 13 defenders called up, with McCarthy set to cut his squad after the matches on the weekend of August 31/September 1 have taken place.

The squad includes first call-ups for Stoke City's Nathan Collins, Doncaster Rovers midfielder Kieran Sadlier and Tottenham striker Troy Parrott.

On the reason behind so many players being called up, McCarthy said: “I don’t know what's going to happen between now and the next couple of games.

“We've got Saturday games, Tuesday games, Saturday and then the Saturday before me meet up.

“Players could get injured before we meet up.”

McCarthy’s side currently top Group D with three wins and a draw from their four matches.

They face a Switzerland side who have four points from their two games and were part of the inaugural Nations League finals in June where they finished fourth.

After that, Ireland host Bulgaria in a friendly on September 10.

Rovers return to action after the international break with a home game against Millwall on September 14.

Other Rovers connections in the squad include Shane Duffy, Alan Judge and Jack Byrne.