Saturday, May 28, 2011

Trapattoni names Ireland team for Scotland clash


Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni will make four changes to his side for tomorrow's Carling Nations Cup decider against Scotland.

The Italian today named his team for the final match of the four nations tournament in the Aviva Stadium but said he may review his line-up after another training session.

Damien Delaney, Kevin Foley, Seamus Coleman and Keith Treacy are the players to make way following Tuesday's 5-0 thrashing of Northern Ireland.

Defender Darren O'Dea has won his battle for fitness after an ankle injury while Birmingham's Keith Fahey, who joined up with the squad after the Northern Ireland game, slots into midfield.

Wolves winger Stephen Hunt comes off the bench to play on the left while Portsmouth's Liam Lawrence replaces Coleman on the right.

Record goalscorer Robbie Keane, who took his international tally to 48 with a double strike four days ago, again captains the side and will partner Simon Cox.

West Brom striker Cox and Wolves utility man Stephen Ward, who will play at left-back, are rewarded for their goalscoring debuts against Northern Ireland with second caps.

Both Ireland and Scotland have won their opening two matches of the competition and the winner at the Aviva Stadium will claim the trophy.

Trapattoni's priority is next week's Euro 2012 qualifier in Macedonia but hopes to finish the competition well in front of a home crowd likely to be around 25,000.

'Obviously we will play for a good result but we do have one or two injured players.

'I am confident about our performance and the result.

'It is a game like a derby. Many of the Scotland players, like ours, play in the Championship or the Premier League.

'I hope and I think it can be a beautiful game.'

Ireland team to play Scotland in Carling Nations Cup at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, 29 May:

Given, McShane, O'Dea, Kelly, Ward, Lawrence, Andrews, Fahey, Hunt, Keane, Cox.