Hennessey hopes he won't miss roommate Ledley due to birth of third child

Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey hopes he will not be without his roommate Joe Ledley in Dublin as the midfielder awaits the birth of his third child.

The Palace pair are set to start for Wales in Friday's vital World Cup qualifier against Republic of Ireland.

And it is a significant week for Ledley, whose wife Ruby is due to give birth on Monday.

"He's hoping he doesn't get the call until the day after [the game]," Hennessey told BBC Wales Sport.

"He's not been nervous, he's been really good, just keeping his phone on loud and for one of the members of staff to take his phone if he's out on the training field.

"He's been calm - it's their third so he's used to it now."

Hennessey and Ledley, both 30, have been room-mates throughout their Wales careers, having played youth football together.

The two are often seen joking around with each other on and off the field, with their club and international team-mates referring to their friendship as a 'bromance'.

Joe Ledley and Wayne Hennessey share a kiss before a qualifier.

"We've always had it, since we were young, meeting up when we were 15 in the Wales side at Sophia Gardens," said Hennessey.

"Our birthdays are similar - he's a day older than me - so we've been close all the way through the ranks.

"We kept in touch since we were kids and it's grown. Then I got the move to Palace and he came after and we were room-mates. It's mad."

'He doesn't plan ahead'

The close proximity between the birth of Ledley's third child and such an important fixture for Wales is nothing new for the midfielder.

The former Cardiff City player almost had to rearrange his wedding to Ruby last summer because of a potential fixture clash with Wales at Euro 2016.

With Wales exiting at the semi-final stage, the wedding went ahead as scheduled - and Ledley will hope the new sibling for his daughters, Layla and Reeva, arrives on the due date.

"Yeah, he doesn't plan ahead, that's his problem," said Hennessey.

"It's their third, so I just hope it all goes well, fit and healthy and a few days after the game.

"He's got two girls so he'd like a boy but I'm telling him all the time 'It's going to be a girl, Joe, it's going to be a girl'."