CALLUM O’Dowda’s slim hopes of gatecrashing the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2016 squad look to be at an end after he was an unused substitute in Dublin last night.

The Oxford United winger was included on a 14-man bench, but did not get on in the 1-1 draw with the Netherlands at the Aviva Stadium.

A first senior cap looks likely to be only a matter of time, with manager Martin O’Neill called describing him as ‘the future of the Ireland side’ after impressing in training.

But the fact O’Dowda was not tried out against the Dutch indicates his call-up was more with one eye on next season, rather than this summer.

He will remain with the group for the moment, with O’Neill saying last night the whole squad would move on to Cork for a friendly with Belarus on Tuesday, after which he will confirm his 23-man squad for France.

The experience will have been invaluable, though, and O’Dowda’s progress into the senior international set-up has been welcomed by U’s head coach Michael Appleton.

He said: “It can only be a good thing for the football club to produce players who go on and play at a higher level.

“It’s great he’s doing ever so well and I had my fingers crossed he got some minutes on the pitch.

“To go into the full squad and on his first day impress the manager I think speaks volumes.”

Max Crocombe is also still wating to make his senior debut on the international stage.

The 22-year-old U's goalkeeper was an unused substitute as New Zealand opened OFC Nations Cup campaign with a 3-1 win against Fiji.

The tournament winners in Papua New Guinea will earn a place at the Confederations Cup in Russia next summer.

United’s third player on international duty is Benji Buchel.

The goalkeeper, who played enough games for the U’s this season to trigger an additional 12-month contract, will travel with Liechtenstein to face Iceland in Reykjavik on June 6.

Elsewhere, United revealed 700 season tickets were bought in the opening 24 hours of sales, two and a half times more than in the same period last year, when prices were cut.

Encouragingly, 45 per cent of purchases in the first 12 hours went to supporters who had not been holders this season.