Danny Gabbidon must put his Wales comeback on hold as the West Ham United defender suffered a hamstring injury in their victory at Blackpool.
The 31-year-old centre-back hobbled off in the 31st minute of West Ham’s 3-1 win to be replaced by Winston Reid.
Gabbidon told his Twitter site: “Hamstring stain! Thinking two weeks. Gutted but buzzing with the win.”
He joins Craig Bellamy, Gareth Bale and Steve Morison on Wales’ injury list for their visit to Republic of Ireland.
The former Cardiff City defender came out of international retirement at the request of new Wales boss Gary Speed.
Gabbidon, who quit international football in October 2010 after suffering a host of niggling injuries, was set to win his 44th cap for next Tuesday’s Carling Nations Cup opener against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
It is a further injury blow for Speed as he prepares for his first game as Welsh national team manager.
Millwall striker Morison withdrew from their cup opener on Wednesday after he limped off just 15 minutes in to their 2-1 defeat at Norwich City.
Morison, Millwall’s 13-goal top-scorer, joins Cardiff City striker Bellamy (knee) and Tottenham Hotspur winger Bale (back) on Speed’s injured list.
So Speed has called up Crystal Palace forward Jermaine Easter – although Simon Church and Rob Earnshaw are likely to lead Wales’ attack in Dublin.
Easter, who will hope to win his ninth Welsh cap in Ireland, has yet to score in his three games since moving to Selhurst Park in the January transfer window from League One side Milton Keynes Dons.
Wales squad:
J Brown (Blackburn), W Hennessey (Wolves), B Myhill (West Brom); D Collins (Stoke), J Collins (Aston Villa), N Eardley (Blackpool), C Gunter (Nottingham Forest), C Morgan (Preston), S Ricketts (Bolton), A Williams (Swansea); A Crofts (Norwich), D Edwards (Wolves), A King (Leicester), J Ledley (Celtic), A Ramsey (Cardiff), D Vaughan (Blackpool); S Church (Reading), R Earnshaw (Nottingham Forest), C Evans (Sheffield United), F Eastwood (Coventry), H Robson-Kanu (Reading), J Easter (Crystal Palace)
