Euro 2024 qualifiers: Daniel Ballard a doubt for Northern Ireland as Paul Smyth returns

Ballard won his 21st Northern Ireland cap against Finland

Northern Ireland defender Daniel Ballard is an injury doubt for Monday's final Euro 2024 qualifier against Denmark in Belfast.

Manager Michael O'Neill revealed the Sunderland centre-half is struggling with a hamstring injury and will need to be assessed on Monday morning.

O'Neill also said Rangers winger Ross McCausland took a knock when making his debut in Friday's 4-0 loss to Finland in Helsinki but is expected to be fit after completing the "majority" of Sunday's training session.

There was some positive fitness news for injury-hit Northern Ireland with Queens Park Rangers winger Paul Smyth fit enough to join up with the squad after having to pull out of the trip to Helsinki with a hamstring injury.

• O'Neill denies NI underperformed

• Injury-hit Northern Ireland suffer further misery in Finland

He was one of 15 players unavailable to O'Neill against Finland as an injury crisis that has dogged the squad throughout a dismal campaign deepened further.

The collapse against the Finns means Northern Ireland go into their last Group H match at home to the Danes having lost seven of their nine matches, with their only two wins coming against lowly San Marino.

We owe fans something to cheer - McNair

McNair will be among the candidates to be Northern Ireland captain on Monday

Paddy McNair has said he and his Northern Ireland team-mates owe their supporters a big performance against Denmark.

"We owe the fans something to cheer about at home. Denmark are obviously the number one seed coming here and have already qualified," McNair said.

"It is going to be a tough game, but Windsor Park in the past has been a very tough place for teams to come to and get three points.

"Great nights have happened here before and hopefully Monday night can be another one. When you look throughout the history there have always been big upsets.

"We just have to concentrate on ourselves, not reflect too much on Friday night and just come here with the freedom and belief that we can give the fans something to cheer about."

Having won his 66th international cap, against Finland, McNair is one of the most experienced players in a youthful Northern Ireland squad that is missing a host of seasoned players.

One of those absentees is captain Steven Davis, who is still recovering from a serious knee injury sustained last December, but the Rangers midfielder was pictured at training at Windsor Park on Sunday.

Injured Steven Davis attended Northern Ireland training on Sunday

With Jonny Evans also out injured, George Saville wore the armband in the defeat by Finland as he won a 50th cap, but McNair could be in line to lead the side out against the Danes.

The 28-year-old Middlesbrough man, who played on the left of a back three against the Finns, acknowledged how difficult a campaign it has been for Northern Ireland.

"It [the defeat in Finland] was very disappointing," McNair said. "Getting beaten 4-0 is not nice and it was a tough one to take.

"Football is always difficult when you are not winning games. We got off to a good start against San Marino, then lost 1-0 at home to Finland and just really haven't recovered from that. We have lost games very narrowly at times and it just hasn't clicked.

"There have been a lot of younger players coming in. It has not been easy. When you come into the team you want to be winning games.

"We haven't been doing that as a team so it has been tough, but it will stand the young players especially in good stead going forward. International football is tough, so experience-wise it will do them no harm."

Denmark travel to Belfast having secured top spot in Group H and qualification for the Euro 2024 finals with a 2-1 home win over Slovenia on Friday.