Cian Healy will miss Ireland's World Cup campaign because of a leg injury while centre Stuart McCloskey has been named in Andy Farrell's 33-man squad.

Healy's absence means Munster prop Jeremy Loughman is included.

With the squad containing 15 backs, Farrell has found room for Ulster centre McCloskey.

McCloskey has started in eight of Ireland's last 12 games but there was speculation his squad place could be under threat because of the ability of Keith Earls and Jimmy O'Brien to play in midfield.

However with Farrell opting to select 15 backs as opposed to 14, he has included four specialist centres with the Ulsterman picked along with Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki.

The other players who have not made the cut from the previous 38-man squad are Ulster duo Tom Stewart and Jacob Stockdale - who is edged out by Keith Earls - plus Leinster back Ciaran Frawley and Connacht back row Cian Prendergast.

After 13 straight Test wins, which included achieving the Six Nations Grand Slam this year, Ireland will go into the France tournament as the world's top ranked international side but also mindful that the country has failed to go beyond the quarter-finals in all nine previous World Cups.

Ireland 33-man squad for World Cup

Forwards: Rob Herring (Ulster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Dave Kilcoyne (Munster), Tom O'Toole (Ulster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Ryan Baird (Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), James Ryan (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster)

Backs: Craig Casey (Munster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Ross Byrne (Leinster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Johnny Sexton (Leinster), Bundee Aki (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Jimmy O'Brien (Leinster).

Ireland coach Farrell said that the 125-times capped Healy had been left "devastated" by his injury.

"Cian is big enough and old enough and experienced enough to have been through these types of things before," added Farrell.

"He understands these types of things happen but he is obviously devastated, as we are as a group for him."

Captain Johnny Sexton, who will be available for Ireland's opening match against Romania on 9 September with his three-match suspension now having been served, said that he was "gutted" for the veteran prop.

"To miss this tournament, it's meant a lot to him in how he's prepared and how he's trained and he has shown that," added the 38-year-old skipper, who will retire after the World Cup.

Asked about his three-ban match which was imposed after he was found guilty of misconduct towards match officials following Leinster's Heineken Champions Cup final defeat by La Rochelle, Sexton, who didn't play in the European final because of injury, described his conduct as "a mistake in the heat of the moment".

"I was obviously very emotional on the day not being involved," added the 113-times capped Sexton, who sustained a groin injury in the Grand-Slam clinching win England in March and hasn't played competitively since.

"I had mapped out that my last game for Leinster would be at the Aviva, winning the European Cup was what I had dreamt of. To miss that, there is a lot of emotion that goes with it.

"In that second, when I went on to console my team-mates, I made a remark and I regretted it instantly. I make mistakes. I said sorry and I hold my hands up and that's what I've done."

Asked about the task he had in informing the players who had missed out on selection, Farrell said that "it's obviously difficult because you are shattering someone's dream".

"At the same time, I would hope through all campaigns, that you don't let bad news be a shock," added the Ireland coach.

"You are constantly giving feedback to them to let them know where they are at. Players are not stupid, they always have a sense as well."

As expected, Leinster's Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher are both included despite their recent injuries, with Rob Herring the squad's other hooker after edging out his Ulster club-mate Stewart.

World Cup Pool games

Ireland v Romania, Bordeaux, Saturday, 9 September 14:30 BST

Ireland v Tonga, Nantes, Saturday, 16 September 20:00 BST

Ireland v South Africa, Paris, Saturday, 23 September 20:00 BST

Ireland v Scotland, Nantes, Paris, Saturday, 7 October, 20:00 BST.