Alan Browne has handed Stephen Kenny an injury scare ahead of June’s Euro qualifiers with Greece and Gibraltar.
The Preston North End ace suffered medial knee ligament damage and is facing a spell on the sidelines - but does not require surgery.
With the Championship finishing on May 8, Browne is in a race against time to play again this club season.
But providing it is not an extended layoff, the Corkman could be available for the June 16 and 19 qualifiers, albeit lacking match sharpness.
Ireland will have training camps in England and Turkey ahead of the trip to Athens, so Browne will get all the time he needs to prove his fitness.
He is in a leg brace and quizzed on the injury, Preston boss Ryan Lowe said: “Yeah, not good, Browney. He's probably going to be out for a few weeks.
“He has had a whack on his medial ligament and he has had a scan. I don't know how long it’s going to be.
“It’s day-to-day. He’s in a brace at the moment as a precaution.
“We’ll have to take each step and day as it comes, but he's certainly not going to be available for the next two weeks.
"And then, whatever it looks like after that, maybe there’s a possibility.”
Seventh-placed Preston are in the playoff mix and have games to come against Millwall, Swansea, Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield United and Sunderland.
Lowe added: “I’m just saying that in the next two weeks, he won't play. I don't know how long it's going to be from there.
“He doesn't have to get any surgery or anything like that; it is just a time healer. We won't rush him back unless we need to.
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