Ireland striker Kevin Doyle has been ruled out of Tuesday's European Championship qualifier against Slovakia due of a knee injury.
The Football Association of Ireland said this morning that the Wolves player had returned to his club for treatment.
Manager Giovanni Trapattoni has decided not to call up a replacement with the remaining 21 players fit to travel.
Ireland need to secure three points against Slovakia after losing 3-2 at home to Russia in Friday's Group B match. Either Shane Long or Andy Keogh are likely to replace the injured Doyle in Ireland's starting eleven.
Andy Keogh has insisted that Ireland will go into their European Championship clash with Russia in expectation rather than hope.
Their credentials will be put to the tests over the next several days when they play Group favourites Russia in Dublin on Friday and their conquerors last time out, Slovakia, in Zilina next Tuesday.
However, Keogh insists the belief manager Giovanni Trapattoni has instilled in his players over the last two and a half years means they will approach the double-header confident they can emerge with two positive results rather than hoping they do.
He said: “It’s the mentality the manager has brought to the team. He has had the core of players now for a couple of years and he has drilled his tactics and his mentality into us.
“Coming to our home patch, we are going into the game looking to win and wanting to win.
“We are playing the two teams who are going to be up there with us competing to qualify, and the more points we can take from them, the better to try to open up a gap.
“If we continue the type of form we have had in the last two games, we should look good.
“It’s more of the same. We won the last two games, so you can’t complain about that, and there were some good performances as well.”
Keogh has played much of his recent football for Ireland as a midfield replacement, and he could well be needed to provide back-up once again with Damien Duff having withdrawn with a calf injury and Stephen Hunt yet to return to the squad.
But the 24-year-old, currently on loan at Cardiff from Wolves, knows whoever plays on Friday evening, the Irish will have to produce their best form to emerge with the result they desire.
He said: “They are very good. They will be very dangerous, especially on the counter-attack.
“But we will just concentrate on ourselves, try to keep the type of form we have had in the last two games and worry about us scoring and beating them.”
Trapattoni is almost certain to pair skipper Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle in attack once again.
Doyle has been in fine form for Wolves and has scored in two of his last four games for Ireland.
Keogh said: “From what I hear from the lads, Kevin has been playing very well week in, week out.
“Kevin is the type of player who can come in and do a great job for Ireland, as he does in every game he plays.”
Wolves mananger Mick McCarthy has revealed that Irish striker Andy Keogh is to join Cardiff City.
McCarthy left the Dublin born reland international out of his side's 2-1 Carling Cup win over Southend on Tuesday so the player is not cup-tied.
"It's a racing certainty that Andy will be going to Cardiff," said McCarthy.
Keogh, 24, will join Bluebirds signings Craig Bellamy, Seyi Olofinjana, Danny Drinkwater, Jason Koumas, Lee Naylor and Tom Heaton in south Wales.
Keogh has scored 49 goals in 180 competitive appearances for Leeds, Scunthorpe, Bury and Premier League Wolves since 2004 and is now set to join the Bluebirds bid to win promotion from the Championship.
McCarthy told Wolves' website: "He didn't want to be cup tied and Cardiff didn't want him to be cup tied and it was a chance for us to give Ashley Hemmings a game [against Southend].
"Andy has been fabulous here both for me and this football club. It's a good move for him to go to Cardiff and good luck to him.
"He wants to play football and doesn't want to be fourth in line here which I can fully understand.
"It was my decision to let him go but he goes with our best wishes and warmest regards."
Keogh has scored 49 goals in 180 competitive appearances for Leeds, Scunthorpe, Bury and Wolves.
Ireland international forward Andy Keogh suffered a long-term injury blow and has been ruled out for three months after damaging a ligament and tendon in his ankle in training yesterday and is set to undergo surgery.
Wolves Manager Mick McCarthy said: “Very sadly, Andy has damaged his ankle ligaments and tendon and has to have an operation. He will be out for 12 weeks.
“It’s a huge blow, because he is a great kid and he was so devastated when he got the news after he did it yesterday. He was running through on goal and got clipped as he landed.
“He scored a goal jumping over Wayne Hennessey and just rocked his ankle.”
Keogh was arguably Wolves’ best player in pre-season and had a superb first month in the Premier League, with the winner at Wigan the highlight of his encouraging early performances.
