Dan will be a big loss but there is competition in the squad - Ireland's Ronan Kelleher

Ireland hooker Ronan Kelleher felt the squad has enough depth to overcome the setback of injury to Dan Sheenan as they take on the Springboks in the second Test on Saturday.

Sheehan is sidelined for a long-term with a knee injury that he sustained in the opening game against Pretoria which Ireland went on to lose 20-27.

Even though the loss of Sheenan is a big setback, Kelleher feels confident of the team's chances considering the strength in the squad.

"Yeah, absolutely. It is just bitter really, you never want to see a teammate injured or hurt or anything like that.

"So I wouldn't say bittersweet at all, it is kind of unfortunate but sport and we have to deal with that as a group and move on quickly.

"Dan will be a big loss but there is competition in the squad and we have to make sure we do our job and make sure that we put our best foot forward and make sure we leave the team in a good place."

Despite the heart-break defeat in the first game, Kelleher, who was yellow carded in the closing stage of the encounter last weekend insisted that they are confident of a turnaround.

"We are very confident. I suppose as a whole we're gonna have to look to improve, obviously there was a time in the game where it went well and maybe at times it dropped off a touch.

"So it's just about nit-picking through those little details we might have gotten wrong or where we weren't accurate with, and then just I suppose try to right those wrongs this weekend

"As I said it was more about the little, fine details that we're gonna have to try and fix to try to, I suppose, change the outcome of some of the moments from the previous game.

"So yeah, we're very confident that this weekend we can fix them."