The Blues skipper picked up a hamstring injury during the 1-1 draw against Colchester United at Layer Road on Saturday and has had to withdraw from Lawrie Sanchez's side that take on Wales in an international friendly at Windsor Park, Belfast on Tuesday night.
The injury must make the Blues midfielder a major doubt for the League game against Stoke City at St Andrew's next Sunday morning.
Northern Ireland squad: Maik Taylor (Birmingham City), Michael Ingham (Wrexham); Tony Capaldi (Plymouth Argyle), Stephen Craigan (Motherwell), Michael Duff (Burnley), Aaron Hughes (Aston Villa), Sean Webb (Ross County); Grant McCann (Barnsley), Steve Davis (Aston Villa), Keith Gillespie (Sheffield Utd), Sammy Clingan (Nottingham Forest), Chris Brunt (Sheffield Wednesday); Kyle Lafferty (Burnley), Ivan Sproule (Hibernian), Dean Shiels (Hibernian), Peter Thompson (Linfield).