NEW SNUB FOR SCALES

CELTIC youngster Liam Scales has been dropped by Stephen Kenny from his 26-man Republic of Ireland squad for the World Cup double-header against Portugal and Luxemburg.

It’s a second snub for the 23-year-old versatile Hoops defender after being overlooked for even a place on the substitutes’ bench in his country’s two games last month.

Scales was given a call-up for the games against Azerbeijan and Qatar and didn’t even get a kick of the ball.

WAITING IN THE WINGS…Liam Scales and Mikey Johnston are desperate to make an impact at Celtic this season.

The £600,000 summer recruit from Shamrock Rovers was left disappointed after being left out of the 23-man pool that was stripped for the friendly against next year’s World Cup hosts in Dublin after being ignored for the qualifier against Azerbaijan following an exhausting round trip.

Scales was on the bench for the game against Serbia in September, but has now faded from the international picture completely.

Shane Duffy, who endured a disastrous loan season at Parkhead last term before returning early to Brighton, is in the squad for the meaningless qualifiers against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal at the Aviva Stadium on Monday and the trip to Luxembourg three days later.

* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Ferencvaros v Celtic this evening – only in your champion CQN.