The Republic of Ireland are making a record fourth appearance in the European Championship play-offs as they travel to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday night.

Martin O’Neill’s men make the trip to Zenica and are aiming to take a positive result from the first leg of their play-off back to Dublin next week.

Hosts Bosnia missed out on Euro 2012 spot when they were beaten by Portugal, while Ireland have progressed from this stage once in their last three play-off attempts.

How did they finish in their groups?

In Group B, Bosnia-Herzegovina finished behind Belgium and Wales, while the Republic finished third in Group D behind world-champions Germany and Poland during the round-robin stage of the qualifiers.

The Balkan side triumphed in a five-goal thriller in Nicosia, beating Cyprus 3-2, but with Belgium beating Israel 3-1 and Wales coming out on top against Andorra, Bosnia finished four points behind an automatic qualification spot.

As for the Irish, they were beaten by Poland on the final Matchday 2-1, and a win would have ensured that they would be in France next summer, while Germany clinched top-spot with a 2-1 win over Georgia in Leipzig.

The two sides have only faced each other once before, while Ireland were able to be victorious in a 1-0 win courtesy of Shane Long’s strike in Dublin during 2012.

Team News

Bosnia’s injury list has started to shrink and coach Mehmed Bazdarevic has a full squad to choose from, with a goal for Roma against Lazio at the weekend, star-man Edin Dzeko looks in good form heading into the match.

Muhamed Besic is set to serve his one-game ban, and is set to return next week in Dublin, while Asmir Begovic, Anel Hadzic and Miralem Pjanic are part of the group of players all within one booking of a suspension.

O’Neill will be looking for John O’Shea and Shane Long to prove their fitness ahead of the game as the pair were among a group of five players to be named in a reduced 30-man squad.

Newcastle United goalkeeper Rob Elliott, Reading defender Paul McShane and Brentford midfielder Alan Judge are among others.

Shay Given and David McGoldrick are just two of a number of players to have dropped out because of injury, while O’Shea and John Walters will be absent due to suspension.

Predicted line-ups