Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Young Irish get chance to shine


Giovanni Trapattoni has made Paul McShane captain of the Ireland team to play their under-23 counterparts in Malahide this evening.

McShane will play at right full back with Eddie Nolan or Greg Cunningham occupying the other flank.

Everton's Shane Duffy, currently at the centre of an eligibility row having played played underage matches for the North of Ireland, is included at centre half alongside Celtic's Darren O'Dea.

Liam Lawrence will play on the right side of midfield along with newcomers Paul Green and Keith Fahey, with Shane Long selected in an unfamiliar role on the left.

Leon Best and Cillian Sheridan form an experimental strikeforce against an Airtricity League under-23 selection managed by former Cork City and Drogheda United boss Paul Doolin.

The match will be played behind closed doors.

Trapattoni's original squad has been depleted by the loss of David Meyler, Darron Gibson, Stephen Ward and Caleb Folan through injury, while Keith Treacy has returned to Preston after having his hernia problem assessed.

Portsmouth's Marc Wilson and James McCarthy of Wigan are yet to meet up as they nurse knocks, and Manchester City full-back Greg Cunningham has been added to the squad which trained for the first time on Sunday night.

Many of the bigger names - Richard Dunne, Stephen Kelly, Kevin Kilbane, Sean St Ledger, Aiden McGeady, Damien Duff, Glenn Whelan, Keith Andrews, Kevin Doyle and Robbie Keane - will join up next Sunday.

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