Long & Keane to start up front
Credit:
Shane Long and Stephen Ward are the most notable inclusions in Republic Of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni's side to face Slovakia in the Euro 2012 Group B Qualifier to be played in the Aviva Stadium tomorrow night (kick-off 7.45pm).
Long has been given the nod up front ahead of former club-mate Kevin Doyle, and will be joined there by Captain, and recent LA Galaxy recruit, Robbie Keane. Doyle has had a number of injuries problems over the past few months, but has since returned to show good form for Wolverhampton Wanderers at the start of this season, and may prove to be a valuable option off the bench against the Slovaks.
Ward's positioning at left-back comes at the expense of veteran Kevin Kilbane, whose extraordinary record of consecutive competitive starts for the Boys In Green (if selected, it would have been extended to 67) has finally come to an end. The 34-year-old Derby County player has been struggling to shake off a back injury that was causing him problems in recent days, and he has now returned to his club to receive treatment.
However, there were strong indications from Trapattoni that he may well have gone with Ward anyway and, having made four International appearances (including a goal on his debut against Northern Ireland in the Carling Nations Cup), the former Bohs man looks like a more than able deputy for Kilbane.
Elsewhere, there are not too many surprises in the team selected, as Shay Given is set to make 115th appearance in Ireland shirt, in spite of worries surrounding his ability to take kick-outs, with John O'Shea, Richard Dunne and Sean St. Ledger completing a solid-looking back-four, which has proven to be somewhat impenetrable in recent outings.
Keith Andrews and Glenn Whelan resume their midfield partnership, with Damien Duff and Aiden McGeady hoping to provide plenty of width on the right-wing and left-wing respectively. In the absence of Kilbane from the squad, Ipswich Town's Damien Delaney has been drafted for cover, and he will be joined by Wigan Athletic midfielder James McCarthy, who will link up with the senior side after he has faced Hungary in an Under-21 qualifier at The Showgrounds this evening.
The Irish starting line-up to face Slovakia is as follows:
Shay Given (Aston Villa)
John O'Shea (Sunderland)
Richard Dunne (Aston Villa)
Sean St. Ledger (Leicester City)
Stephen Ward (Wolverhamption Wanderers)
Damien Duff (Fulham)
Keith Andrews (Ispwich Town/Blackburn Rovers)
Glenn Whelan (Stoke City)
Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow)
Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
Shane Long (West Bromwich Albion)
Long has been given the nod up front ahead of former club-mate Kevin Doyle, and will be joined there by Captain, and recent LA Galaxy recruit, Robbie Keane. Doyle has had a number of injuries problems over the past few months, but has since returned to show good form for Wolverhampton Wanderers at the start of this season, and may prove to be a valuable option off the bench against the Slovaks.
Ward's positioning at left-back comes at the expense of veteran Kevin Kilbane, whose extraordinary record of consecutive competitive starts for the Boys In Green (if selected, it would have been extended to 67) has finally come to an end. The 34-year-old Derby County player has been struggling to shake off a back injury that was causing him problems in recent days, and he has now returned to his club to receive treatment.
However, there were strong indications from Trapattoni that he may well have gone with Ward anyway and, having made four International appearances (including a goal on his debut against Northern Ireland in the Carling Nations Cup), the former Bohs man looks like a more than able deputy for Kilbane.
Elsewhere, there are not too many surprises in the team selected, as Shay Given is set to make 115th appearance in Ireland shirt, in spite of worries surrounding his ability to take kick-outs, with John O'Shea, Richard Dunne and Sean St. Ledger completing a solid-looking back-four, which has proven to be somewhat impenetrable in recent outings.
Keith Andrews and Glenn Whelan resume their midfield partnership, with Damien Duff and Aiden McGeady hoping to provide plenty of width on the right-wing and left-wing respectively. In the absence of Kilbane from the squad, Ipswich Town's Damien Delaney has been drafted for cover, and he will be joined by Wigan Athletic midfielder James McCarthy, who will link up with the senior side after he has faced Hungary in an Under-21 qualifier at The Showgrounds this evening.
The Irish starting line-up to face Slovakia is as follows:
Shay Given (Aston Villa)
John O'Shea (Sunderland)
Richard Dunne (Aston Villa)
Sean St. Ledger (Leicester City)
Stephen Ward (Wolverhamption Wanderers)
Damien Duff (Fulham)
Keith Andrews (Ispwich Town/Blackburn Rovers)
Glenn Whelan (Stoke City)
Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow)
Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
Shane Long (West Bromwich Albion)
About Daire Walsh
Daire Walsh began reporting for Extratime in 2009, when he covered Kildare County's games in the League Of Ireland First Division. He currently reports on games involving the league's Dublin sides and also Bray Wanderers. … View Full Profile