Doris Included in Ireland Team But Joe McCarthy Left Out

Newly reappointed head coach the Ireland coach has included skipper Doris in his Ireland team for the autumn Tests, however Joe McCarthy is absent.

Doris, who has not played since undergoing shoulder surgery in early May, has come back to provincial training, but it remains unclear whether he will be fit to play against the All Blacks in Chicago on 1 November.

Second row Joe McCarthy, however, was not considered after not recovering from the foot injury suffered during the first Lions match against Australia in the summer.

Northern province forward Cormac Izuchukwu and Munster wing Calvin Nash are not included due to injury, and number 15 Keenan was previously excluded after having hip surgery following the summer tour.

Leinster forward Paddy McCarthy - the brother of Joe - is the only new player in the 34-man group, but Irish rugby authorities states new Munster duo Edogbo and Gleeson and once-capped Connacht wing Bolton will head to the US as "cover".

After playing the New Zealand at the Chicago stadium in a repeat of their 2016 meeting, Ireland host the Brave Blossoms, the Wallabies and world title holders South Africa in Dublin.

"It's an exciting group to the panel and there's an opportunity for the veteran members and for the newcomers on the recent tour to the Lelos and the Lobos," commented the coach, back to national team duties after a break to lead the Lions tour to the southern hemisphere.

In a mostly familiar-looking squad, the Dublin club's Prendergast and the southern club's Crowley will once again vie for the first-choice fly-half position. The number 10 jersey is still available, with Prendergast and Crowley set to play against each other for the first occasion in Saturday's URC game at the Dublin venue.

Ciaran Frawley is the additional number 10 chosen as the coach deciding not to selecting Leinster's Byrne.

At scrum-half, the Ireland boss has picked Lions tourist Jamison Gibson-Park and Craig Casey, who led Ireland to the summer Test wins over the Lelos and the Lobos. There is also a recall for Connacht's Blade, who is preferred to club-mate Murphy.

Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Ringrose and McCloskey form an experienced cohort of centre choices. Osborne is another option in the midfield, but the 23-year-old is also a frontrunner to deputise for the full-back at number 15.

Wingers James Lowe, Hansen, Tommy O'Brien and Jacob Stockdale are named. O'Brien shone on his first Ireland outings over the summer with two tries apiece in the victories over Georgia and Portugal.

Paddy McCarthy is the sole new name in the Ireland pack. The loose-head prop has started two of Leinster's URC United Rugby Championship matches so far and featured in the second string's defeat by England in the English city previously.

The 22-year-old was selected in interim boss O'Connell's summer selection, but did not receive a cap.

Munster second row Thomas Ahern, who received his first two caps in those matches, is retained, and veteran Northern province lock Iain Henderson returns after missing the summer matches.

Jack Conan, who started all three Lions Tests during the tour, is set to cover for Doris should the captain does not regain full fitness in time to face the All Blacks.

The Ireland squad will assemble in the capital on the start of the week before flying to Chicago on the following day.

Pack (19): Thomas Ahern (Munster), Ryan Baird (Province), Finlay Bealham (Province), Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Province), Conan (Province), Doris (Leinster, capt), Furlong (Leinster), Henderson (Ulster), Ronan Kelleher (Province), Gus McCarthy (Province), P McCarthy (Leinster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), C Prendergast (Province), James Ryan (Province), Dan Sheehan (Province), Nick Timoney (Ulster), van der Flier (Province).

Backs (15): Aki (Connacht), Blade (Connacht), Craig Casey (Province), Crowley (Province), Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Province), Hansen (Province), Robbie Henshaw (Province), James Lowe (Leinster), McCloskey (Ulster), Tommy O'Brien (Province), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Province), Garry Ringrose (Province), Stockdale (Province).

Kick-off times

• Ireland v New Zealand, 1 November, Chicago (20:10)
• Ireland v Japan, November 8, Dublin (12:40)
• The team v Australia, 15 November, Dublin (20:10)
• Ireland v South Africa, 22 November, Dublin (17:40)